What You Already Know Pt 1: Evolution: Ship Ver
by MaureenT
Summary: When a specialist in biofeedback therapy begins treating the SGC personnel, Daniel discovers that he possesses abilities that may result in him losing his place in the Stargate Program and everything else that he loves. S & D romance. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**What You Already Know Part 1: Evolution (Ship Version)**

**Author:** MaureenT  
**Rating:** T  
**Categories:** Angst, Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, Romance  
**Content Warning:** Mild Profanity, Violence  
**Spoilers:** Stargate Movie, Enigma, Legacy, Past and Present, A Hundred Days, Maternal Instincts, Upgrades, Divide and Conquer, Scorched Earth, Serpent's Venom, Absolute Power, Rite of Passage, Summit, Last Stand, The Warrior, The Sentinel, Meridian, Abyss, Metamorphosis, The Changeling, Prophecy, Full Circle, Fallen, Fragile Balance, Enemy Mine, Space Race, Evolution, Grace

**Author's Notes:** **This story contains a Daniel/Sam romance.** If that's not to your liking, go read the Gen version, though I highly recommend the Ship version, which is far superior, in my opinion. This is the first of a series of stories covering many of the events of the latter half of the 7th season and most of Season 8. This first story takes place a while after the episode "Evolution." From that point on, many of the events that occurred in the TV series will happen differently in this fanfic series. It also departs from information we learned in Season 8 about the circumstances surrounding Daniel's return to human form. There is also a Gen version of this story.

* * *

PROLOGUE

I have been away for only a short while, yet, when I return, I see that more have come to this world that has been my home for so long. These new ones are not like the ones who came before, those who were servants of the Goa'uld and sought to take the human child. I knew that those men must not be allowed to have the baby, so I destroyed them. My fellow Ancients would frown upon my actions, but I understand something they do not. Sometimes, we have no choice but to interfere, for not doing so would damage the balance of the universe so greatly that it might not recover.

I sense that these new ones also seek the child, but their motivations are different. There is no evil here. There is a Jaffa among them, but he is as unlike the Jaffa who were here before as the day is unlike the night. In time, this one could become one of us, but he is not ready. He still has far to go on his present path.

The female human has a spirit that is both light and dark. She has chosen both the life of a warrior and of a scientist, and these two facets of her life have colored her soul. Yet the light within her is far greater than the darkness. This one, too, could be one of us if she would allow herself to see beyond the physical and accept the spiritual.

From the temple comes a man with the soul of a warrior. There is much darkness in him, yet the light dispels many of the shadows. I sense that he has no patience with our teachings. This one would need to learn much before he could be one of us. It may be that his path could never lead him to ascension.

Another Jaffa emerges from the temple. He is many years older than the other one and has seen much more death, yet, like the younger one, he had turned from the path that their brethren walk upon. It may be that, when this one's life is done, he will find the true path.

Something draws me into the temple, for I sense that there is another. And that is when I see him. I have known many humans over the millennia of my existence, yet never have I met one with a mind so open and a heart so willing to learn. The light within him burns brightly, like a beacon shining in the night. This one . . . ah, this one could be one of us so very easily, _truly_ one of us, not one who can only ascend with the help of one of us, but one with the capacity to transcend his physical form through his own choosing. I can feel the potential burning like a candle flame deep within his essence, like the flame he is attempting now to light with his mind. He has the power to light the candle on his own, but I will help him, for the power is latent, sleeping in his mind, just as it is sleeping within the minds of most of his species.

This one whose name is Daniel wants the child, too, but his reasons are a need to protect, to shelter. The boy has a special meaning to him. But he is not ready to be the child's protector, and I must teach him this. Someday, this may be different, but, for now, the boy must stay under my guardianship.

* * *

Everything I believed about the one called Daniel is true. If the other Jaffa had not come, he could have become one of us before the night was done. Never before have I met such an apt pupil. Yet I sense that he is not yet ready. He must travel a while longer on his present path. There are more lessons for him to learn. Even so, I find myself not wanting to depart his company. I have known him only moments, yet I feel love for his beautiful soul and the brightness of his mind. I must touch him, feel his flesh beneath my fingers.

Yes. With that touch I have seen much. I sense that, someday, he _will_ be one of us, but he will suffer greatly before then. I wish that I could prevent his suffering, for he has already suffered so much. But it is not for me to decide when his time to join us will be. And so I will watch over him so that, when his end draws near, I will be there to help him see that his place is among us.

Farewell, Daniel. We will meet again.

* * *

Shifu has told me that he taught Daniel a lesson today. Daniel has learned that he must find a new path. Shifu believes, as I, that he will soon be one of us. But this time that has passed since our first meeting has been difficult for Daniel. The weight on his soul grows heavy. I fear that he will become lost before he joins us. Shifu says that Daniel is strong, that his heart will not give up. Only time will tell if he is right. I hope that he is.

* * *

The time has come. I sensed it immediately. Daniel's mortal body is failing him, and it is time for him to leave it behind and ascend. Oh, but his soul is so weary. Too much pain has he suffered. He believes himself unworthy to gain ascension. And, because he believes so, he cannot take that step. He must have faith in himself and believe in the value of his deeds and his soul or he will never find the power to ascend. I could use my power to help bring upon the change, as I have with others. But, no. Daniel must do this on his own. I can only guide him and help him see the way. He has the ability to become as the Ancients, and I must not rob him of that. I can only help him see the truth about himself. Once that is done, he will join us through the power of his own choosing.

* * *

It is done. In the space of a breath not taken, the beat of a silenced heart, he is here. He does not have our knowledge yet, for that is something we must give him, but he has our power. Even now, so newly born to this form, I can feel it burning within him. He will be great among us.

Yet within me there is a concern. Though his mortal body is no more, his mortal heart remains. He believes that he will have the ability to do more as an Ascended One, and, in some ways, this is true, but he does not yet know that he may not interfere in the affairs of mortals. Will he accept this? His love for his people is great, especially for the three who were his companions. Will that love prevent him from following our ways? I will have to watch him closely. If he breaks the laws of the Ancients, he will be punished, and I must not let that happen. Because I defy the laws of my people, I am outcast among them. They allow me to continue my work, but I know that I walk a fine line. With Daniel it would be different. I must protect him from the others.

* * *

He has been denied the knowledge. Not all of it, but enough that he does not realize what he is, what I and my kind are. This was not my decision, but of the others. They believe that he must prove himself before being given all of the knowledge. They sense, as I do, that his heart still cleaves to his fellow humans and to those who were his friends and allies.

He will soon be tested. The one called Jack O'Neill is a prisoner of the Goa'uld Ba'al. Daniel believes that his friend can ascend. I have not told him that O'Neill's spirit is not ready for such a step. I know that Daniel must try to help his friend in this way, but what will he do when he realizes that O'Neill cannot, _will_ not take that step? I must watch closely.

* * *

Ah, my Daniel. You were so subtle with your interference. If I had not been watching you, I would have been unaware of it. But I did see. I find myself smiling at what you did. You took no physical actions, nothing overt. You merely whispered into the minds of those who could help O'Neill and showed them the way. I know that you are pleased by the outcome, as am I. What would have happened to O'Neill if you had not acted would have forever darkened a part of your spirit.

If the others knew of what you have done, they would be displeased, but it was such a small thing that I will not tell them. They need not know. But I wonder what you will do if something like this happens again.

* * *

I can sense the grief and frustration within him. The woman named Samantha is dying, the victim of Nirrti's experiments. She is in great pain, and Daniel wants to help her. He wants to heal her. But I cannot let him interfere, not this time. The only way that he could help would surely draw the attention of the others, and I must protect him. He is angry at me for forbidding him even to appear to Samantha to give her comfort. I fear that anger may someday drive him to step so far over the line that I will have no choice but to act. My kind cannot see the future, but we can sense things that are on the horizon, and I feel that there will soon come a day when Daniel will have to make a choice between the life he has now and the life he left behind.

* * *

For three days he has been with the Jaffa called Teal'c. Throughout those days, he has given his friend strength and comfort, yet he has done nothing that would incur the displeasure of the others. Even so, his actions have saved Teal'c's life and the life of the other Jaffa, Bra'tac. Perhaps Daniel is finally learning and is ready to leave behind the last of his ties with his humanity.

Even as I think this, I know that something is coming. A crisis is approaching that will force Daniel to choose, once and for all, what path he will walk upon.

* * *

Daniel has chosen. In truth, his choice did not surprise me. I admit that, all those years ago, when I first saw him, I failed to see that the love in Daniel's heart is too great, his need to help others too strong to ever be able to accept the chains that our laws put upon him. At the same time as this saddens me it also brings me joy, for, in this way, Daniel is so much more than we are. His spirit cannot be imprisoned. His courage knows no bounds. During his mortal life he sacrificed himself many times for the sake of others, and he has now done so again.

With my power I have helped all the people of Abydos ascend. I did this for Daniel's sake, for the loss of those people would have irreparably scarred his spirit. Daniel knows what I have done and is grateful, but he also knows that I now have a difficult task before me. His punishment has been left in my hands, and I find myself unwilling to mete it out. Daniel's passionate argument as he stood before the others had so many words of truth, and I know that some of them agreed, but not enough. Most of my kind refuse to change their way of thinking.

Daniel and I are alone now, the others having withdrawn.

"So, what now, Oma?" he asks.

I look upon him and see no regret, though he knows that his punishment will be harsh. "There is no regret within you for what you did."

"No. I only regret that I did not succeed. I can't be like you and the others, Oma. I tried, but I can't stand back and do nothing, just stand aside and watch terrible things happen when I have the power to help. To even try is a betrayal of who I am."

"This I know," I say.

"So, I ask again. What happens now?"

"There is a choice for you to make."

"Me? What choice? What my punishment will be?"

I nod my head.

"What are my options?"

"There are two. The first is exile on a world with no life for a time period of our choosing."

"You mean like Orlin was?"

"Yes. When we feel that you are ready, you will be offered the opportunity to rejoin us."

"What's the other option?"

"To become human once again."

"Human? You mean descend? I'd have my old body back?"

"Yes."

"The last time I had a human body, Oma, it was dying of radiation poisoning," Daniel reminds me.

"You would be healthy and whole, your body created anew. But you would lose all that you have gained in your time with us. All memories of your life as an Ascended One would be gone. It is the law of the others. Also taken would be the memories of your life before you ascended."

"Whoa, wait a minute. You mean that I'd have no memories at all? I wouldn't know who I am? My entire life would be gone?"

"There is no other way," I tell him regretfully.

"What of my knowledge, the languages I have learned, the things I have studied? Would it all be gone, too?"

"The knowledge would still be there, only you will not know it until you seek to learn it again."

"When I go to relearn everything, it'll start coming back to me?"

"Some of it will. Other things may not."

"So, my choices are to be exiled alone for several hundred years or more, then continue living an existence that I can no longer accept and still be true to myself or to be made human again but lose all memory of who I am and perhaps lose a big chunk of the knowledge I've spent my whole life gaining."

I say nothing. There is nothing more I can tell him. I cannot influence his decision.

Daniel turns away from me for a long moment. When he turns back, I know what he has decided. His words confirm this.

"I'm sorry, Oma. I cannot live like you do. I can't sit on the sidelines as others fight and die. It is not in me to be that kind of person."

"Then you have chosen."

"Yes. Even though I'm going to lose my past and perhaps much of what I know, at least I'll be in control of my own life again. And, maybe someday, I'll be able to rejoin the fight against the Goa'uld, to help others again. It's the only choice I can make."

"This I also know."

Daniel looks at me with those beautiful eyes that are so wise for one who is so young. "I'm sorry, Oma. I know I've disappointed you."

"A flower rises from the earth, blooms in the warmth of summer, then fades and returns to the earth when winter arrives. One cannot be disappointed when the flower is gone, for that is the way it must be. All things must be true to their nature."

"Yeah."

I reach out and touch his face one last time. With that touch, I see a truth I was blind to before. Daniel's time among us _has_ served a purpose, not the one that I had believed it would, but one that I now realize is a far greater purpose than if he had remained one of us.

What is happening now is not an ending. Though Daniel's path is returning to its former course, in doing so, a new future is opening to him, one that I must make sure comes to pass, even if I must break the laws of my people yet again.

* * *

And so it is done. Daniel is once again human, left upon a world of strangers. And, once more, I have defied the will of the others, though they do not know it. When the time is right, Daniel will remember. His knowledge and memories of his mortal life will return. As for those of his time as one of the Ascended, in time, he may remember them as well, when he has need.

At the proper time, I must go to the world of Daniel's birth and make sure that those who love him most will find him and help him fulfill the destiny that I sense lies before him.

Someday soon, Daniel will realize that one does not need to be taught what they already know.

* * *

CHAPTER ONE

"You are joking, right, sir? I mean, this is a joke, isn't it?" Jack's hopeful smile disappeared to be replaced by a pleading look. "_Please_ tell me that you're joking, General."

General George Hammond gazed at him with sympathy. "I wish that I was, Colonel, but these orders come from high up in the chain of command, specifically from Senator Brandon Westmore, who has recently become involved in the Stargate Program."

"But, sir . . . biofeedback?" There was a note of disdain in Jack's voice.

"Senator Westmore is a strong proponent of biofeedback and believes that it could be the answer to problems in the military caused by stress and anxiety. You and I both know that stress among military personnel is a killer and, more than once, has caused people to make dangerous mistakes or to crack under pressure. There is evidence to support the belief that biofeedback can be used to calm people and relieve stress. Individuals have been able to lower their blood pressure using the technique, and, as Doctor Fraiser will tell you, high blood pressure is something she sees a lot of in her infirmary."

"With all due respect, sir, I don't believe in that stuff. It's all a bunch of hogwash."

"Whether you believe it or not, Colonel, you have your orders. The senator believes that, due to the highly stressful nature of our work, we're perfect candidates. A Doctor Eliza White, who is an expert in biofeedback therapy, will be arriving tomorrow at 0800 to begin evaluating all the personnel on base and deciding which individuals would benefit from the therapy. You are to be the second one she sees, followed by Major Carter and Doctor Jackson."

"The second one?"

"Yes. As the commanding officer of this base, I go first."

"What about Teal'c, sir?"

"Though Doctor White has been briefed about the Stargate itself, she does not know any details about the Goa'uld or the Jaffa. Therefore, using biofeedback on Teal'c is out of the question."

"Lucky Teal'c."

Hammond frowned. "I don't like this any better than you do, Jack. I have better things to do with my time. But the president has approved this, and he is still my boss, as he is yours. So, I suggest that you keep that in mind and try to get through this with as much patience as you can manage."

Duly chastised, Jack said, "Yes, sir."

Jack left Hammond's office and headed for the commissary. He was supposed to meet his team there for a bite to eat. As he walked in the door, he saw that Daniel, Sam and Teal'c were already there. Jack got his lunch and carried it over to the table.

"Hey, Jack," Daniel greeted, followed by a "Good afternoon, sir," from Sam.

"I'm not so sure about the good part," Jack muttered.

"Is something wrong, Colonel?" Sam asked.

"Well, as it turns out, we're all going to get to be guinea pigs again."

"Oh, _please_ don't tell me Anise is coming back," Daniel groaned.

"I almost wish that was the case. No, strike that. I don't ever want to see that particular Tok'ra again."

"The feeling is mutual," stated Teal'c.

"So, what is it this time, sir?" Sam asked.

"What do you guys know about biofeedback?"

Daniel's eyebrows rose. "Biofeedback?"

"Yeah. It seems that some senator is really gung ho about it and has convinced the president that all of us here at the SGC are perfect candidates for trying it out."

"What is biofeedback?" Teal'c asked.

"Well, putting it simply, biofeedback is a type of therapy in which people are trained to exercise some control over their own body processes," Daniel answered. "It's been around in one form or another for thousands of years. Ancient Greek, Chinese and Indian healers all believed that the mind could influence the body, that you could both cause and cure illnesses. This belief is still in existence today in some cultures, such as among the Australian Aborigines. Once Western medicine began to discover the physical causes for diseases and other ailments, those ancient beliefs were mostly rejected, but interest in them has been gradually returning. Biofeedback started being used therapeutically after the second world war to help returning veterans who needed physical therapy. It is now recognized by many physicians and psychologists as a useful therapeutic technique."

"Now, why doesn't it surprise me that you know that, Daniel?" Jack remarked.

The younger man shrugged. "I study anthropology, Jack. That includes the various practices and beliefs that ancient civilizations had."

Jack turned to the other genius on the team. "So, what about you, Carter? Care to dazzle me with your knowledge?"

"Sorry, sir. I really don't know all that much about biofeedback. It's not a subject I ever got into. I'd bet that Janet could tell you some things about it, though."

"I really don't want to know about it, Major. I would prefer remaining ignorant for the rest of my life. But, since we have no choice but to do this, I figured that we should all know what we're getting into."

"So, when is this going to happen?" Sam asked.

"Some doctor is going to be arriving tomorrow morning. The three of us are scheduled to meet with her after Hammond gets his turn. Teal'c is exempt. Needless to say, I'm not looking forward to it."

"Relax, Jack," Daniel said. "I can guarantee that the doctor isn't going to start chanting in some ancient language and cast a spell on you."

"Well, thank you very much for that assurance, Daniel," Jack responded sarcastically. "I'll leave my garlic at home."

"Um, garlic is for warding off vampires . . . sir," Sam reminded him.

"Whatever."

After lunch, the foursome decided to visit Janet to see what she knew about biofeedback. It turned out that the doctor knew quite a bit on the subject.

"I studied a little about it during my second year in medical school," she told them. "It's really quite fascinating. Biofeedback uses electronic sensors to measure and feed back information about an individual's body that they normally wouldn't have access to. In clinical biofeedback, muscle activity, heart rate, pulse volume, brainwave patterns, and other physiological data are monitored. The subject becomes aware of what's happening in their bodies because they can see it being reproduced on a computer screen by means of the various signals being sent through the sensors. A competent biofeedback therapist can then help teach the person how to alter or change those signals, thereby controlling their own body's internal systems. There are a great many physical and psychological ailments that have been treated with biofeedback, including stress, anxiety, asthma, high blood pressure, epilepsy, migraine headaches, and many other types of pain. There has even been success in regaining movement in victims of paralysis."

"So, I'm guessing that you're all for this whole thing," Jack muttered.

"I'm going to reserve my judgment until after I see if it is of some use, but, yes, I think it might help some individuals control their stress and anxiety, and I would be very happy to see fewer instances of elevated blood pressure in my infirmary."

Since Jack was the only one on his team who was against the biofeedback, he did the rest of his grumbling to himself. Both Daniel and Sam were interested in the process and looking forward to experiencing it for themselves. Teal'c was disappointed that he would not be participating since it reminded him of the connection he used to make with his symbiote during Kel'no'reem and the healing that would take place through that connection.

Promptly at eight a.m. the following morning, Doctor Eliza White arrived. Her equipment was set up in one of the isolation rooms since it would allow Janet to monitor the proceedings without actually being in the room.

Doctor White's first patient was General George Hammond. The first thing she did was conduct an interview with him about his health and that of family members. She then hooked him up to the biofeedback instruments using sensors attached to several locations on his body. She recorded the various readings to give her a picture of the general's overall psychophysiological state, creating a baseline that she would use for the training sessions.

During this first session, Eliza got the impression that General Hammond was a pleasant, easy-going man with a great deal of patience and an impressive ability to remain calm under pressure. Because of the great responsibilities of his job and the stress inherent in it, she decided that he could benefit most from a way to relieve stress and anxiety. His blood pressure was also a little elevated, which she could work on as well. All in all, Eliza determined that the man should do well with biofeedback.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Colonel Jack O'Neill. Right from the start, the therapist guessed that she'd have a hard time with him. He was completely against the whole thing, and she doubted that she'd be able to get him to reach the proper mental state. Colonel O'Neill had the wrong kind of personality and attitude for psychophysiologically-based treatment techniques, and Eliza doubted that the biofeedback would be successful with him. However, the colonel did suffer from frequent headaches, which might be treatable with biofeedback, so Eliza had decided to go ahead and try.

Major Samantha Carter was quite pleasant. As a fellow scientist, she was very interested in the process and was eager to participate for that reason. She asked dozens of questions and was able to grasp most of the concepts. The major was a workaholic and tended to have difficulty relaxing, which was something the biofeedback could help her overcome. The therapist believed that her sessions with Major Carter would go well.

It didn't take long for Eliza to figure out that Doctor Daniel Jackson was one of the most intuitively brilliant and opened-minded people she'd ever had the pleasure of meeting. He had no doubt at all that the process of biofeedback really worked, and they ended up getting into an in-depth discussion about the beliefs various cultures have regarding mental abilities and the ways they could be used to affect the human body. Though Daniel's health appeared to be excellent, like Colonel O'Neill, he had a problem with headaches that Eliza was hoping would respond to biofeedback therapy. She was looking forward to his sessions.

Out of all the personnel Eliza interviewed, only a small percentage had specific physical or emotional problems that were treatable with biofeedback. She noted that over half the people who regularly went on off-world missions suffered from the same headaches that Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson did. This was a problem that Eliza really hoped she could solve.

At last, the day came for the actual training sessions to begin. Like with the interviews, General Hammond went first. Jack was waiting outside when he emerged from his session.

"So, how was it, sir?" the colonel asked.

"Very interesting. Certainly a new experience for me." Hammond noticed the expression on Jack's face. "Relax, Colonel. It doesn't hurt a bit."

Muttering something under his breath, Jack went into the room.

"Hello again, Colonel," the therapist said pleasantly, her grey-green eyes smiling at him. "Why don't you take a seat in that chair over there and we'll begin."

An hour later, the therapist gave up any hope of success with the man. As she suspected, Jack O'Neill was not a good candidate for biofeedback. For it to work, you had to believe that it _could_ work, and the colonel didn't. Eliza saw no point in trying again.

"I could have told you that it probably wouldn't work on him," Janet said in amusement after Jack had left. She hadn't been there to watch any of the interviews, but had wanted to observe the first training sessions.

Eliza looked up at her through the observation window. "Is he always like that?"

"The colonel has little patience for things he doesn't understand or doesn't agree with. He's also got a skull as hard as titanium. But his stubbornness has been a very good thing on more than one occasion. He's saved the lives of his teammates, not to mention a whole lot of other people, on more than one occasion because of his refusal to give up."

"What about Doctor Jackson? He seems to be totally opposite from the colonel. I can't imagine them getting along very well."

Janet smiled. "Oh, don't let his sweet nature fool you, Doctor. Daniel's stubbornness is legendary. He's one of those people who never gives up and never backs down if he feels that he's in the right. The difference is that he's not quite so . . . acerbic about it, and he usually respects other people's opinions."

"Really? He struck me as very agreeable and open-minded."

"Oh, he is. He's extremely open-minded and is very agreeable as long as someone isn't doing something or suggesting something that Daniel feels is unethical. But God help you if you are, because he won't back down and isn't shy about letting you know what he thinks. He's one of the few people on this base who can out-stubborn Colonel O'Neill and has no fear of going toe-to-toe with him in a battle of wills."

Eliza laughed. "It sounds like they have an interesting relationship."

"That they do. But they love each other all the same."

* * *

When Jack came out, he found Daniel and Sam in the waiting area. He sat beside the archeologist, looking none too pleased.

"I'm guessing that things didn't go very well," Daniel surmised.

"She sticks all these things on me, and then there's all this beeping and wavy lines going all over the place on the monitor, and she tries to get me to slow down the beeping or make the wavy lines less wavy."

"No luck?"

"Hell no. If I wanted to do magic tricks, I'd have studied to be a magician."

"Sir, the beeping and the lines on the monitor are representations of—"

"Ah! I don't want to hear it, Carter. Maybe you and Daniel here both think it's cool, but I'm just glad it's over."

"She's not going to try again, sir?"

"She says that I'm not a good subject for biofeedback, something about me having the wrong kind of personality for it."

"Now, why doesn't that surprise me?" Daniel murmured.

Jack glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. It's just that, for something like that to work, you have to at least have some belief that it can."

"And if someone had bothered to bring that fact up to begin with, I wouldn't have had to go through all that."

Sam was called into the room. Her session went very well. The Air Force major looked upon the whole thing as a fascinating science experiment, and, like all her other experiments, undertook it with her full attention.

Finally, it was Daniel's turn. Eliza told him that the first order of business would be an attempt to get rid of the headaches caused by going through the Stargate. Long ago, Doctor MacKenzie had erroneously believed that those headaches were a symptom of Stargate-induced schizophrenia. Since then, Janet had determined that the headaches were just a mild side effect of gate travel. In the years that the SGC had been in existence, nothing more serious had developed. Eliza had said that she would seek to help Daniel with the headaches. He hoped that she could.

It was only a few minutes into the session when Eliza was actually able to get Daniel to the point where he was exercising some control over his heart rate, blood pressure, and the tension in his muscles.

"Wow. I'm very impressed, Doctor Jackson," the therapist remarked, totally amazed. "I've never heard of anyone reaching this state so fast. Are you sure that you've never done biofeedback before?"

"No, never. I do meditate on occasion, though."

"Ah, well, maybe that helps explain it. Even so, this is astounding. In our next session, I'd really like to see if you can gain some control over your brainwaves. For right now, let's see if we can get rid of that little headache you say that you've got."

By the end of the thirty minute session, Daniel's headache was completely gone, and Eliza was in complete awe of him. So was Janet, for that matter, and she'd known him for all these years. In a mere half-hour, Daniel had succeeded in doing things that it would generally take a good eight to ten sessions to achieve. The two doctors discussed the possible reasons for Daniel's unbelievably fast progress, though there were some things that Janet could not divulge. Doctor White's security clearance was limited to knowledge of the Stargate and the fact that humans from Earth were exploring the galaxy and defending the planet from possible enemies. Other than that, she could not be told anything, like the fact that Daniel had spent a year on a higher plane of existence as a creature made of pure energy.

Janet had to wonder if Daniel's time as an ascended being could have anything to do with his amazingly fast success with the biofeedback. Though the archeologist's tests all showed that he was fully human once again, there were things that modern science still did not have the capacity to measure or detect.

Unaware that he was the topic of an intense discussion by the two doctors, Daniel went out to where Jack and Sam were waiting for him.

"So, how did it go?" Sam asked.

"Quite good, actually. My headache's gone."

Sam frowned. "You mean you actually learned how to make a headache go away already?"

"Yeah. Doctor White said I was a fast learner."

"A fast learner? Daniel, from what I learned in the research I did about biofeedback, it's incredible that you were able to do that during your first session."

"What's the big deal?" Jack asked. "We already know that Daniel's a fast learner, what with the way he soaks up new languages and history stuff like a sponge."

"It's not the same thing, sir. This has nothing to do with how smart you are or how well you retain information. This is mind over matter, the ability to control physical matter – namely, your own body, in the case of biofeedback – through the power of your mind."

Daniel was no longer looking at them. There was a troubled frown on his face, his eyes focused on the floor.

"Daniel? Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"What? Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. I was just wondering if. . . ." He shook his head. "It's nothing, just a passing thought. So, I guess we're all done here for today. My next session is scheduled for day after tomorrow."

"Mine too," Sam said.

"And mine's never," Jack stated, not making any secret of how pleased he was by that fact. "Come on, you two. Let's get out of here."

Daniel followed his teammates, the ghost of his earlier thought remaining in his mind like a specter that no exorcism could completely banish.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Sam's second session went very well, and Eliza had every confidence that the major would be one of her success stories.

After the session was over and the therapist was removing the sensors, she said, "Doctor Jackson is your teammate, isn't he?"

"Uh huh."

"Then you've known him for a while."

"Around six and a half years."

"He's a very interesting man."

Sam smiled, thinking that Daniel had apparently gained himself another female admirer. "Yes, he is. I can honestly say that I've never met anyone like him. For one thing, he is one of the most brilliant people I've ever known."

"Yes, I read his file. He can speak twenty-three languages, right?"

"Actually, it's probably around thirty now. He's picked up a few since he first got involved in the program. And that's not counting the dead languages that aren't spoken because no one knows how. Counting those, I honestly have no idea how many languages Daniel knows."

Eliza looked at Sam. "Are you aware of the success of my first session with him?"

"Yes, Daniel told us about it. I was pretty shocked."

"I've never heard of a case like this. I'd swear that he's had training in biofeedback before, yet he claims that he hasn't. Is there any reason why he'd lie?"

Sam shook her head. "Daniel is a very honest person. He only lies when he has to, like for the sake of a mission."

"That's the impression I got, but I wanted to be sure."

"If Daniel told you that he's never done biofeedback before, then it's the truth. Count on it."

"Thank you, Major. I suppose that you have no idea why Doctor Jackson did so well."

"Sorry. I can't help you there."

"All right. I guess this is just going to have to remain a mystery."

Daniel came in a few minutes after Sam left. Eliza got him settled in the chair and hooked up to the machines.

"Okay, Daniel. You told me about your headaches, and we seem to have found a way of taking care of those, but is there anything else you didn't mention before, some other physical ailment? I noticed that you have a slight limp today."

"Oh, I was shot in the leg a while ago. It still bothers me a bit if I've been on my feet for a long time. As a whole, I'm pretty healthy, unless you can do something about this." He tapped on the frames of his glasses.

Eliza gave him a smile. "No, I'm afraid that biofeedback can't correct vision problems. Sorry."

Daniel returned the smile. "Oh, well. It was worth a try."

"So, nothing else?"

There was a short pause. "Well, I, um . . . occasionally have trouble sleeping," Daniel admitted a little reluctantly.

"Oh? Do you have trouble getting to sleep or do you wake up frequently?"

"I, uh . . . have nightmares." Daniel shrugged self-consciously. "I've had a few pretty bad experiences in my life, and it affects my dreams sometimes."

"Is this a recent problem?"

Daniel shook his head. "No, I've had it since I was eight years old."

"Eight? That's very young. Did something traumatic happen to you?"

Daniel stared at her closely for a long time before answering. "I saw my parents get crushed to death beneath an Egyptian coverstone."

Eliza drew in a sharp breath. She hadn't expected anything like that. "I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson. I didn't mean to stir up bad memories."

"It's all right. It was a very long time ago. And please call me Daniel."

Eliza smiled and nodded. "Certainly, but only if you call me Eliza."

"Eliza."

"So, after you have a nightmare, you have difficulty getting back to sleep?"

"Yes."

"Okay. As you may recall, I mentioned yesterday that I want to see how well you do in controlling your brainwaves. Those who can learn to control their own brainwave patterns can put themselves into various mental states, including meditation and sleep. Now, you said that you occasionally meditate?"

"Uh huh."

"Then you've already used a form of control over your brainwave patterns. Theta is the brainwave pattern that the brain is usually in during meditation. It's also present during REM sleep. The next lowest on the scale, the lowest of all, is the delta wave pattern, which is the pattern shown during deep sleep. If we're successful, I believe that we'll be able to make it possible for you to put yourself into a deep state of sleep so that the dreams don't bother you. At the very least, you'll learn how to place yourself into a delta wave pattern for periods of thirty minutes, which can give you the equivalent of two to three hours' sleep."

"That would be nice, especially on the nights before a mission or when I've been up late working on a translation."

"Yes, but it's not a permanent substitute for real sleep, Daniel. The mind and body need that downtime."

"I know."

Eliza gave him a smile. "Now, some frequencies in the theta range have been used to treat sleep disturbances. Also, frequencies in the high alpha/low beta range, from twelve to fifteen hertz – which is called the Sensorimotor Rhythm – have been used to treat a variety of sleep disorders, including nightmares. We might want to give that a try. Hopefully, we can reduce the frequency of your nightmares. At the very least, we can make it easier for you to get back to sleep after you have one."

Daniel gave her a nod, thinking that any help at all with his nightmares would be welcomed.

"All right, then. Shall we begin?"

Using an electroencephalograph, Daniel was shown his brainwave pattern on the computer screen. Eliza patiently guided Daniel through an attempt to slow the frequency of the wave pattern. When, after a couple of minutes, there was no response, Daniel recalled how he would put himself into a meditative state and decided to change tactics. Immediately, there was a response as the pattern began to slow.

"Excellent, Daniel. I've never had a patient who could manage this so fast, though, since you have some experience in meditation, we can expect an increased ability to bring your pattern down into the lower frequencies. What we need to do is give you precise control of what frequency you reach and maintain. For now, let's aim for fifteen hertz."

Daniel's brainwave pattern gradually slowed until he was at the desired frequency. He then had the challenge of keeping it there, which turned out not to be all that easy. After a few minutes of the frequency rising and falling a little, he succeeded in keeping it right at fifteen hertz for a solid five minutes.

"Great job, Daniel," Eliza praised. "Again, I'm impressed. How are you feeling? Can you detect the difference from how you felt at the beginning?"

"Yes. I feel more relaxed."

"That's understandable. Now, in time, you should reach the point where you will be able to feel the minute differences in your mind and body at the various frequencies. When you reach that stage, you may no longer need the readouts to guide you to the frequency you want. But that will be a ways down the road. For now, let's take you lower. Shall we shoot for twelve hertz?"

A short while later, Daniel was there. Having learned the trick of how to stay at a certain frequency, he was able to do so quickly this time.

"How do you feel, Daniel?" Eliza asked quietly after a couple of minutes.

"I feel. . . . Wow. I feel great, like I'm. . . ." Daniel's voice trailed off, unable to think of the proper word.

"Centered?"

"Yeah," the archeologist agreed after a moment.

Eliza smiled. "Twelve hertz is an important frequency. It is used for centering the mind and body. It is also used for gaining mental stability and to stimulate mental clarity."

Daniel closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling he was experiencing. As Eliza had said, he felt centered, his mind crystal clear. It was a great sensation. He wondered if he'd be able to achieve this feeling without the doctor's guidance or the EEG readout.

Eliza let him stay at that frequency for a while, then asked him to take it lower, down to nine point six. Wondering what other things he'd experience, Daniel complied. As he reached the requested frequency, he began to experience a feeling of "floating" and told the doctor so.

"Yes, that does sometimes happen at the low alpha frequencies. Alpha waves are often detected during dream sleep and is a pattern that typically occurs during daydreaming. Eight point six to nine point eight can be used to induce sleep, which is why I asked you to go to this frequency. There are some studies that indicate that nine point zero can be harmful if maintained for any length of time, so you might want to steer clear of that one. The same goes for several other frequencies, which I will teach you. So, do you feel like you could go to sleep right now?"

"Actually, yes, I do," Daniel replied in a very quiet voice. "I'm also feeling sort of a tingling sensation."

"Also normal. Okay, before you put yourself to sleep, let's go lower. We're going to be getting into the theta range now, Daniel, which is likely what you experience during meditation and what we're in during REM sleep. I want you to try for seven point zero, which is a frequency used for the treatment of sleep disturbances."

As Daniel's brainwave pattern dipped lower and lower, he experienced the same feelings he did while meditating with Teal'c. He felt extremely relaxed and peaceful but also highly aware of himself. He fought his natural inclination to close his eyes and continued watching the readout as he arrived at the desired frequency.

"Are you doing okay, Daniel?" the therapist asked in a low voice after a few minutes.

"Yes." The archeologist's reply was also pitched low, his voice utterly calm.

"How are you feeling?"

"I feel. . . ." Daniel's reply faded away. He knew this feeling. Something about it tugged at his memory, but he couldn't pin it down. His eyes slid closed as he sought to remember.

"Daniel?"

Eliza's query went unanswered. There was something, something he should remember, something important.

Daniel's thoughts were halted by a hand on his shoulder. Daniel looked up into Eliza's face. She smiled down at him.

"Hey. I think you were starting to fall asleep there."

"Um . . . no, I was just trying to remember something." Realizing that the feeling was gone now, Daniel looked at the monitor and saw that being disturbed from his thoughts had caused his brain wave pattern to leap back up into the high alpha range.

"Well, I think that's enough for today. You did very well, Daniel, remarkably so, in fact. You are, without a doubt, my most apt pupil. I have no doubt that you'll be able to solve your problem with sleeping in no time."

"That would be great. Thanks, Eliza."

Daniel left the room deep in thought, still nagged by the feeling that there was something he should be remembering about the way he felt while he was at that last frequency. Daniel toyed with the idea of trying to achieve it on his own tonight, but dismissed the thought, figuring that doing experimentations on his own wouldn't be a good idea quite yet.

The next day, Eliza took him down into the lower theta range and then into the delta range, though the latter was very hard to achieve since he kept wanting to drift off into sleep. Finally, he managed to remain conscious and at a specified frequency for several minutes at a time.

"You did very well, Daniel," Eliza praised at the end of the session. "I think our next step will be for you to get to the point where you can feel the little differences from one frequency to another. Once you can do that, we'll see if you can reach and stay at a certain frequency without the monitor."

And so it was that, for the next few sessions, Daniel learned to recognize the feelings that each target frequency engendered within him. After that came his attempts to reach those same frequencies without the readings from the monitor to guide him. Daniel found that, without the monitor, it was a whole lot harder to control his brainwave patterns, but he finally started experiencing some success. At the same time, he learned how to get rid of his headaches without aid.

Shortly after Daniel had completed his most recent session and left, Janet came in. "So, how is your star pupil coming along?" she asked Eliza. The doctor had been getting regular reports from the therapist and knew that Daniel was weeks ahead of everyone else on the base in regards to his training.

"Marvelously," Eliza replied. "I cannot believe how far he has come in such a short time. It's amazing. I doubt that he's going to need my help for much longer. He's already reached the point where he can control many of his bodily functions all on his own, without the equipment or my guidance. That goes for his brainwaves as well. He's going to attempt to use what he's learned to put himself to sleep tonight. I have no doubt that he'll succeed." The therapist smiled. "You know, if I wasn't already married. . . ."

Janet laughed. "Join the club. Many of my nurses are at least halfway in love with him. He tops the list of the most eligible bachelors on base."

"He seems like a great guy."

"That he is." Janet's expression grew serious. "He was also very much in love with his wife. It's been four years since she died, and I don't think that Daniel's been on a date in all that time."

"That's a shame." A thoughtful expression colored Eliza's features. "Is it possible that there's another reason why he doesn't date?"

Janet frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Um . . . I probably shouldn't say anything. It could be considered a violation of privacy, and I also wouldn't want to cause trouble for Daniel."

Janet began to grow concerned. "Is this something I need to be concerned about as his doctor?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that. Daniel is perfectly healthy in every way. It's just a physiological reaction I noticed when I had him hooked up to the equipment and asked him a certain question. It's nothing you need to be concerned about as his doctor. I'd call it more of a personal issue."

Janet was tempted to insist that Eliza tell her what this was all about but decided against it. Since it was not something regarding Daniel's physical or mental health, it would be unethical to try forcing the therapist to reveal the information, though she had to admit that she was now dying of curiosity.

They talked for a few more minutes, then Janet bid the therapist goodbye. Instead of going back to the infirmary, she went to Daniel's office. When she got there, she found him sitting utterly still at his desk, his eyes closed and a peaceful expression on his face.

"Hey, Janet," he said after she'd been standing there for only a moment. His eyes opened, and he looked at her.

Surprised, the doctor did not immediately respond. "How did you know it was me?"

A faint look of confusion touched Daniel's features. "Um, I guess I recognized the sound of your footsteps. You're the only one on base who wears shoes like that."

Janet glanced down at her footwear. "Ah. Well, I just came by to see how you were doing. Doctor White says that you're just about ready to graduate from your biofeedback training."

"I'm doing fine, good actually."

"No more problems with headaches?"

"Well, I still get them, but I know how to make them go away now."

"That's good. I'm getting reports that the biofeedback is also helping some of the other SG team personnel that suffer from the Stargate-induced headaches, and I'm beginning to see some improvements in blood pressure and other stress-related problems."

"Then it's turned out to be a success, despite all of Jack's grumbling."

Janet smiled. "Yes, it has. It's too bad that the colonel isn't more open-minded about it. I can't help but think that the biofeedback would help him as well."

Daniel shrugged. "You know Jack."

"Yes, I do." Janet came further into the room. "So, how are things going for you otherwise?"

Daniel's forehead wrinkled as he stared at her in puzzlement. "Um . . . all right. Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"

"No, no. Nothing's wrong," Janet hastily assured him. She scrambled to come up with a reason for her question, a reason other than the real one. She certainly didn't want the archeologist to know about her curiosity. Then she recalled something that she did want to talk to him about. "Doctor White said that she was helping you with a sleeping problem."

Daniel grimaced. "Oh." He knew that, being the base's C.M.O., Janet was being kept informed of all of the results of the biofeedback training, but his problem with nightmares was not something he had ever revealed to her. Now that the cat was out of the bag, he didn't know how she was going to react.

"You know, Daniel, you could have told me about the nightmares," Janet chastised gently.

"It isn't a medical problem, Janet, and there isn't anything you could have done about them. And I would not have been willing to talk to a shrink about them, especially after what happened before."

Janet winced internally. It was no surprise at all that Daniel didn't fully trust psychiatrists, not after he was wrongfully diagnosed with schizophrenia and thrown into a padded cell. It had taken a long time for him to relax in the presence of a psychiatrist after that and far more time to willingly speak to one in a professional capacity.

"You could have told me as a friend," Janet said.

"I don't talk about them with anyone, Janet. Jack, Sam and Teal'c know about them only because I've had a few nightmares while on missions. After all these years, I've learned to live with them. It's not like I have them every night. Most of the time, I'll go weeks without having one. They only get bad every now and then." Daniel gave her a reassuring look. "I'm fine, Janet. Really."

"All right, but the next time you have a problem with them, Daniel, I want you to talk to someone. I don't care who, just someone." She glanced at her watch. "I need to get back to the infirmary. Doctor White said that you were going to try putting yourself to sleep with the biofeedback tonight. Let me know how that goes. You look like you could use the rest."

Once Janet had left, Daniel got back to work, though his concentration was no longer fully on his job. The truth was that he _was_ a little tired. He'd been putting in a lot of overtime recently, partly due to the Telchak device that he and Bill Lee found in Honduras. He had managed to translate the writing on the device, which gave them a lot of valuable information on it. With that information and a detailed examination of the device itself, Jacob Carter hoped that the Tok'ra would be able to devise a weapon to destroy Anubis' supersoldiers. The device was presently at the Alpha site, which was fine with Daniel. He wanted nothing more to do with the thing and hadn't been all that happy about having to come in close contact with it while he was translating it. He was still having occasional nightmares about the torture he suffered at the hands of the Honduran rebels and the effects the Telchak device had on those men. The nightmares had taken on many different forms, the most terrifying of all being ones in which one of his teammates was killed by the rebels, then turned into a murderous zombie by the power of Telchak's device. In one particularly horrible version, all three of them were. Jack would probably make some wisecrack about Dawn of the Dead if he knew. As for Janet, she'd probably insist that Daniel "talk to someone" right away, which is why he hadn't mentioned them.

Wrapping up the work he had to finish that day, Daniel chose to go on home instead of starting on the next project. It was getting late, and the rest of his work could wait until tomorrow.

After eating a late dinner, Daniel decided to do a little meditation. Normally, he only meditated with Teal'c, but since he started working with Eliza on controlling his brainwave patterns, his interest in meditation had increased.

Thinking that it might help his concentration, Daniel lit a candle and placed it on the floor in his bedroom. He turned off all of the other lights and settled on a cushion, crossing his legs Indian-style, his back against the bed.

Focusing on the candle flame, Daniel went through the procedures he'd learned in his biofeedback sessions, gradually lowering the frequency of his brainwaves. At last, he achieved the theta frequency. He floated there, slightly unfocused eyes still upon the candle, his chest rising and falling slowly.

Daniel lowered his wave pattern down to seven point zero hertz, the frequency that had seemed so familiar to him, and, just like before, he began experiencing a feeling that nudged at his memory. When had he felt this before?

Alone and with no one to disturb him, Daniel closed his eyes and tried to bring forth the memory. For several moments, it teased at his mind, and then, all at once, he knew.

_'Oma,'_ his mind whispered. This is what he had felt in the temple when the monk was teaching him how to light fires and move objects with the power of his mind. Well, actually, it had been Oma who did those things, but Daniel was certain that, during his lessons with the monk, he had achieved this state of mind.

Daniel's eyes slid open, and he stared at the candle flame. Though he knew it was silly to even try, he concentrated on the fire and willed it to go out. As expected, it remained stubbornly lit. Daniel smiled internally at his own folly. Of course it didn't go out. As he had said to Oma, he had no power. It was she who did, and she was not there with him this time.

Closing his eyes again, Daniel let his mind drift. Unawares, he slipped into a very light sleep.

"Hello, Daniel," said a familiar voice.

Daniel looked at the softly glowing figure before him. "Oma?"

"Remember what the monk said, Daniel. Power is in the knowing, and in the knowing is found power."

Before Daniel could make a remark about the woman's insistence on being cryptic, her form faded away to be replaced by the image of a bright candle flame.

"The light must be extinguished before you can find illumination," said Oma's disembodied voice.

_'One of these days, maybe I'll actually understand everything she says,'_ Daniel muttered to himself.

Looking at the flame within his dream, Daniel thought about her last sentence. Could she have literally meant that the light had to be extinguished? Sensing, somehow, that it was very important for him to try, Daniel concentrated upon the flame, turning his will to the task of putting it out. A breathless moment passed, then, abruptly, the dream flame vanished.

With a start, Daniel awoke, his head jerking upward. His gaze fell upon the candle before him, and he went absolutely still, staring in disbelief. The flame was out.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Daniel stared at the candle for a long moment, then his eyes cast about the room. "Oma? Oma, are you here?" There was no reply to his call. He looked back down at the candle. What was going on here? Had he really been visited by Oma or had it been just a dream. If it was just a dream, who put out the candle? Maybe he accidentally blew it out in his sleep. That was the most logical answer. But should he be accepting the logical answer?

Daniel thought about what Oma had said. _'Power is in the knowing, and in the knowing is found power.'_

All at once, Daniel recalled what the monk had said when Jack sarcastically asked if the man could teach him how to light candles and move things with his mind.

"I cannot teach you what you already know."

Suddenly realizing what Oma and the monk had been saying, Daniel turned his gaze back to the unlit candle. Though it was harder this time because of his excitement, he brought himself back to the mental state he was in before he fell asleep. Not taking his eyes from the candle, he focused his entire will upon lighting it. A brief instant later, the wick burst into flames. Daniel stared at it. He'd done it. He actually lit the candle. Struggling to remain calm, Daniel attempted to put the flame out. It took only a couple of seconds to succeed.

"Okay, this is, um . . . interesting," Daniel said aloud to the empty room. "Oma, if you're here and playing a trick on me, please stop. This is really serious, and I'm not in the mood for tricks." Again, there was no reply.

Daniel rose and took the candle into the kitchen. He sat at the kitchen table for a long time, thinking about what had just happened. Back on Kheb, he had fully believed that he was the one who was doing those things, that he had the power to control fire and move objects with his mind. But here in the stark reality of his own house, it was a little harder to accept. Not that he didn't believe that humans had the potential to do such things. No, he had always believed that the human mind had the capacity to move beyond the limits modern beliefs placed upon it and reach a higher level. He was just having a hard time accepting that he had managed to do so himself. And why now? Had he always possessed this ability or had something changed? Could it be because of his ascension?

Daniel had suspected that his unusual proficiency with biofeedback might have something to do with his ascension, but he'd had no proof. Now, again, he was beginning to wonder if he might have returned to human form not quite the same as he was before.

The archeologist's eyes came to rest on a fork sitting on the kitchen counter. Almost instinctively now, he calmed his mind, slowing his brainwave frequency until he reached that same feeling as before. He willed the fork to move. What happened next shocked the hell out of him. The fork launched across the kitchen and dining room like a missile and slammed into the far wall, its tines burying deeply into the drywall.

The archeologist stared dumbly at the fork sticking out of the wall, stunned by what he had just done.

It was then that Daniel got scared.

Quickly leaving the chair, he went to the window and stood staring out at the night beyond. He could have killed someone. If anyone had been here with him that fork might have hit them. The danger that this kind of power could pose to others or even to himself became all too apparent.

Daniel knew that he needed to tell someone at the SGC about this, but then what? He could just imagine what would happen. He'd be turned into a lab rat, his brain studied and tested to find the secret of his ability. They might even remove him from SG-1 and transfer him to some special program.

All at once, Daniel wished that he'd never discovered what he could do. But this was not something that he could ignore or pretend didn't exist. Perhaps he could keep it a secret, at least for a while, until he figured out what he was going to do once everyone found out.

Decision made, Daniel went to bed. But sleep did not come. Lying awake in the darkness, he wondered if he'd just discovered a new facet of his life only to lose the part of his life that was more important to him than anything else.

* * *

Sam glanced over at Daniel with a frown. Since arriving on the base yesterday morning, the archeologist had seemed distracted. They all went out on one of their team dinners last night, and Daniel had been uncharacteristically quiet, appearing to be deep in thought about something. Jack, of course, had noticed as well and tried to draw the younger man out, without success.

Now, they were all in the gate room, waiting as the chevrons dialed up. Jack was joking about something, and Daniel appeared to be totally oblivious to it. Seeing that his joke was not penetrating through to the archeologist, the colonel fell silent and met Sam's eyes questioningly, jerking his head in Daniel's direction. Sam gave him a shrug. She couldn't answer his unspoken question.

Anything Jack might have said to Daniel was put on hold by the activation of the Stargate. The sound apparently broke through the linguist's thoughts, and he looked at the gate with a slightly startled expression.

With a final glance in Daniel's direction, his teammates went with him through the event horizon. They stepped out on the other side into the broken ruins of an ancient city.

Jack looked about and casually asked, "So, what did you say this place looked like, Daniel?"

Daniel glanced at him, then returned his gaze to the ruins. "The architecture resembles that seen in Mesopotamia, an ancient region of what is now Iraq."

His mind now fully engaged in the archeological treasures around them, Daniel went on to talk about his thoughts and beliefs regarding the people who had lived there and when in history they were taken from Earth. Jack shot Sam a self-satisfied grin, congratulating himself on getting Daniel back to his usual loquacious self. Smiling, Sam began exploring the ruins with her teammates.

After an hour of walking, they reached the center of the city. Daniel frowned upon seeing something that didn't fit in with the rest of the architecture.

"Um, Teal'c, you'd better take a look at this," he said.

The Jaffa joined him. "This is of Goa'uld origin."

"Yeah, that's pretty obvious, isn't it."

"Oh, just great," Jack muttered. He studied the lone column of black stone that stood before them. "So, what does it say?"

Daniel and Teal'c stepped closer to read the Goa'uld writing.

"It is a warning," Teal'c answered. "The people of this world defied the Goa'uld and were destroyed by Imhotep."

"Imhotep? That sounds familiar. Didn't we kill him?" Jack asked.

"Actually, Teal'c did," Daniel reminded him. "Imhotep was the Goa'uld who passed himself off as a Jaffa on Cal Mah and tricked all the rebel Jaffa there into following him."

"Oh, yeah. He called himself Kato, right?"

"K'tano."

"Whatever. The point is that he's dead, so we don't have to worry about him showing up here."

Teal'c's head nodded faintly. "Indeed. Imhotep will never return to this planet and has paid for the deaths of these people."

"Good, 'cus I'm really not in the mood for—"

The all too familiar sound of approaching Jaffa cut Jack's sentence off.

"For that!" Jack hissed.

Before he could say anything else, the blast from a staff weapon slammed into a nearby structure. SG-1 immediately sought cover, diving behind a low stone wall.

"You know, I am really going to have to have a long talk with the people who make those UAVs since they are obviously not detecting the things they should be detecting!" Jack yelled as he fired at the Jaffa who had suddenly appeared.

"There was no sign of recent Goa'uld actively, sir," Sam told him, also firing. "These Jaffa must have just arrived."

Jack ducked as another staff weapon blast came a bit too close for comfort. "And they had to pick now of all times to show up?"

Sam fired at the Jaffa, who were slowly advancing on their position. "We're pinned down, sir, and there's no way that we'll be able to make it back to the gate. The Jaffa are between us and it."

More staff weapon blasts made a mess of the wall that SG-1 was using for cover. "We need better cover!" Jack shouted.

Daniel looked at the nearest building. "If we can make it to that building, we'll have more shelter."

Jack looked at the structure in question. It was forty feet away, and there was no cover between it and them. Could they make it?

"Carter, on my mark, toss a grenade into the middle of those Jaffa and make a run for it. Daniel, you go with her. Teal'c and I will cover you. Once you're safe, I'll use another grenade, and you cover us."

Sam unclipped one of the grenades from her belt, and took hold of the pin. She waited for her commanding officer's signal. It came a few seconds later. Pulling the pin, Sam waited a brief moment, then threw the grenade, which landed right in the middle of the enemy Jaffa. The explosion tossed several of them through the air. Not waiting for those still alive to regroup, Daniel and Sam ran as fast as they could for the building, shooting at the Jaffa as they went. From their shelter, Jack and Teal'c pounded the enemy with bullets and staff weapon fire.

Daniel dashed through the doorway of the structure, Sam right on his heels. Taking cover behind the wall to the left of the door, they began firing upon the Jaffa, providing cover for their teammates. A second grenade sailed through the air and wreaked havoc among the Jaffa. Jack and Teal'c instantly dashed for the building. Jack was nearly hit by a staff weapon blast, which came close enough to singe his hair. He fairly threw himself into the building.

"Damn! That was way too close!" he said, panting, as he ducked behind the wall on the other side of the doorway from Daniel and Sam. Teal'c joined him on that side.

"Will this place hold against those staff weapons?" Sam asked.

"The walls are thick enough that we'll be okay for now," Daniel replied, "but it's not going to hold forever."

"Then we need to figure out how we're going to get out of here," Jack stated. He fired off a shot at a Jaffa who'd gotten careless and exposed himself. "We're not due back for another six hours. I'm not sure if we'll be able to hold our position that long." He looked at Daniel. "I suppose there's no chance of any secret passageways around here that will take us back to the gate."

"Sorry, Jack. I kind of doubt it."

"Is there a back door to this place?"

"There might be. If so, it's possible that we could lose the Jaffa in the ruins and circle around back to the gate."

"All right, you go look for another way out of here. We'll keep our unwelcome guests busy."

Daniel immediately went in search of another way out. It didn't take him long to find a second doorway. To his dismay, however, he discovered that it was hopelessly blocked by a fallen piece of roof. A search of the rest of the building found no other exit. He returned to his teammates.

"I found another door, but it's blocked, and I don't think that even Teal'c could clear it," he told them.

"Crap," Jack cursed. "Any other ideas anyone?"

"I'm fresh out, sir," Sam admitted. "We may have to dig in here and hope that we can hold out till Hammond contacts us and sends help."

"If these Jaffa came through the Stargate, they may call for more aid," Teal'c stated. "It is also possible that there are already other Jaffa on this planet who will be arriving soon."

Jack shot off another burst of gunfire. "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."

Even as he said those words, another troop of Jaffa arrived. The enemy fire immediately doubled, forcing SG-1 to take cover.

Kneeling behind the wall, Daniel glanced outside. They were pinned down, badly outnumbered, and with no way to escape. If more Jaffa came, their position would be overrun. The archeologist looked at his teammates. If something wasn't done, they might all die today. Jack, Sam and Teal'c were out of options, but there was a possible option that they didn't know about. The question was, could Daniel risk it? More importantly, did he even possess the power that would be needed to get them all out of this alive?

Hoping that he wasn't making a mistake, Daniel closed his eyes and attempted to quiet his mind. The sound of gunfire and staff weapon blasts made it extremely hard, and, for a long moment, he thought he was going to fail. But then he felt the change in his mind, the calming of his emotions and his body. He quieted his mind further, reaching that place of stillness where he'd found the power.

Realizing that Daniel had not fired his weapon in a while, Jack looked over at him. The younger man was kneeling on the floor, utterly still, his eyes closed. There was a strange look of peace on his face that reminded Jack of an expression he'd seen there before, though he couldn't remember when.

"Daniel, what—"

Jack never got a chance to finish his sentence, for, without warning, a huge ball of fire blossomed out of thin air and blasted toward the Jaffa. The screams of Jaffa being incinerated came to them an instant later.

"My God!" Sam cried.

Shocked by what had just happened, Jack glanced at her, but his gaze was caught by the sight of Daniel. The light of the fire was reflecting on his glasses eerily, and it suddenly hit Jack when and where he'd seen that look on the archeologist's face before. He swung his head around in time to witness another fireball explode into existence and hurtle toward the Jaffa. Apparently choosing life over the rather nasty alternative, the men made a hasty retreat, pursued for several yards by the flames.

The silence that followed was deafening. As the dust settled, Jack returned his attention to Daniel. The linguist was staring at the burned remains of the Jaffa who had perished in the fire, an expression of anguish on his face.

"Daniel? What's going on?" Jack asked quietly. "Is Oma hiding around here somewhere?"

Daniel got to his feet. "No, Jack. Oma isn't here." He met the colonel's gaze with eyes that held a look of horror and guilt. "I did that." Then he walked out of the building and away from the destruction.

Stunned, Jack, Sam and Teal'c all looked at each other. Then they hurried after their teammate. The first to reach Daniel, Jack grabbed his arm, halting the man's further progress.

"Whoa there. What are you saying, Daniel?"

"Exactly what I told you, Jack," Daniel responded wearily.

"Daniel, how is that possible?" Sam asked.

"You thought it was you before, and it turned out to be Oma," Jack reminded him.

"I know that, Jack, but I don't think it was Oma who put that fork in my wall night before last."

"Huh?"

"Last Tuesday night, I was meditating, using the biofeedback techniques that I learned from Doctor White. During our sessions, I had reached a brainwave frequency that made me feel something familiar, something I was sure I'd experienced before, but I couldn't remember when. I went to that frequency again Tuesday night, and, this time, I remembered. It was the same way I felt on Kheb when the monk was teaching me how to light fires and move objects by mental command. Shortly after I realized that, I fell asleep and had a dream."

"What did you dream?" Sam asked.

"Oma was talking to me. She told me, 'Power is in the knowing, and in the knowing is found power.'"

"As clear as mud, just like that nonsense her pet monk said," Jack remarked.

"Jack, do you recall what that monk said when you asked me if he could teach you how to light candles and move stuff just by thinking about it?"

"Uh, no, not really."

"He said, 'I cannot teach you what you already know.'"

"Which makes no sense at all."

"Yes, it does, Jack. It makes perfect sense. The problem is that I forgot about it later. Many people believe that all humans have what we would call paranormal abilities. It's just that the abilities are latent, and most people don't have the capacity to consciously access them."

Sam stared at him. "And you're saying that you do now?"

Daniel's gaze focused on the destruction in the distance. "Yeah. I realized that all I needed to do was believe that I could do it."

"What's that you said about a fork in your wall?" Jack asked, still not ready to believe what Daniel was saying.

"I . . . experimented a little and sort of had a mishap. I sent a fork flying across the room, and it stuck in my dining room wall." Again, Daniel's eyes went to the place where he had killed the Jaffa. "I didn't intend to kill them," he said in a low voice, turning away.

"Oh, Daniel," Sam murmured. She didn't know if she believed that it really was Daniel who created those fireballs, but _he_ believe it, and he was feeling guilty over accidentally killing those Jaffa like that. She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Jack stepped closer. "Look, Daniel. It's not that I don't believe you. I just think that your friend Oma is behind this somehow. Maybe she doesn't want you to know that she's around and is letting you believe that it's you who's doing these things."

Daniel looked at him. "For what purpose, Jack? Why do that? What reason would she have?"

"I don't know, Daniel. Maybe she's decided to appoint herself your guardian angel but doesn't want anyone else to know."

"Jack, she let me die a horrible death from radiation poisoning when we all know now that she could have healed me instead of trying to convince me to ascend. Obviously, it wasn't because she was afraid of defying the laws of the Ancients. She'd already done that several times. She wanted me to ascend. So, why would she decide now to keep me alive?"

"Like I said, Daniel, I don't know. But this is something that we can figure out later. We need to get back to the gate before the Jaffa who got away bring more friends."

SG-1 headed for the Stargate. Out of concern for Daniel, Jack took a different route back, one that didn't pass within sight of the carnage that had been wrought.

The Stargate was being guarded by eight Jaffa, which, as far as Jack was concerned, proved how stupid Jaffa were sometimes. If _he'd_ been attacked by giant fireballs that appeared out of nowhere, he would have been through the gate faster than you could say "charbroiled Jaffa."

SG-1 managed to take out all of the guards. As Daniel dialed out, the others kept an eye out for danger. They didn't relax until they'd safely arrived back at the SGC.

Hammond approached them. "Colonel? You weren't scheduled to return for another five hours." He looked at their disheveled appearance. "Did you run into trouble?"

"Oh, yeah, you could say that. Some of the friendly neighborhood Jaffa decided to drop in and say hi."

"Are any of you injured?"

"No, sir, we're all okay."

"All right. Report for your post-mission physicals and get cleaned up. We'll debrief in an hour."

"Yes, sir."

SG-1 headed to the infirmary, all of them thinking about what would happen during the upcoming debriefing.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

It took Janet only a few moments to tell that something was wrong with Daniel, though, physically, he appeared to be fine. He was far too quiet, speaking only when asked a question. And he wasn't meeting anyone's eyes.

"Daniel, are you feeling all right?" Janet asked gently.

"I'm fine, Janet. I'm not hurt."

"I can see that. I can also see that something is bothering you."

Daniel gave a soft sigh. "You'll find out soon enough."

The tone of Daniel's voice sent an alarm bell clamoring through the doctor. She looked at the archeologist's teammates and found all of them staring at him, varying expressions of concern and uncertainty on their faces. Realizing that they were being observed, they all quickly looked elsewhere. Okay, something was definitely going on, and, apparently, Daniel was at the heart of it.

Knowing that SG-1 needed to clean up and get to their debriefing, Janet chose to find out later what this was all about. She finished her exams, and, finding everyone fit, released them.

Showered and changed, SG-1 went to the briefing room. Jack, Sam and Teal'c tried not to stare at Daniel, but only partially succeeded. He pretended not to notice, keeping his eyes fixed on what was ahead of him. Fortunately, Hammond arrived in the briefing room just a few seconds later.

Jack and Sam began recounting the events of the mission as Daniel remained silent. He knew that, all too soon, it would be his turn to talk.

"We were pinned down with no escape route," Jack was saying. "The only option we had was to wait it out there until you activated the gate and contacted us."

"Well, clearly, something happened to change that, Colonel," Hammond remarked.

"Uh . . . yeah."

Jack, Sam and Teal'c all turned to Daniel. He could feel their eyes upon him like a heavy weight. He lifted his gaze from the table and looked at the general, whose expression showed his puzzlement.

"Doctor Jackson?" the base C.O. inquired.

"I incinerated them," the archeologist stated abruptly.

"Daniel—"

He didn't let Jack finish. "No, Jack. There's no easy way to explain it. In fact, the only real way is to show him."

"Daniel, you can't!" Sam exclaimed.

A slightly bitter smile twisted Daniel's lips. "Don't worry, Sam. I won't blow up the briefing room." He picked up one of several sheets of paper that had been left on the table. Rolling it up, he held it out before him. A few seconds later, the edge caught fire. Startled, Hammond jerked back. Even Daniel's teammates were caught a little by surprise, though they had been expecting something like that.

The paper burned for only a few seconds, then the flame went out as quickly as it had ignited.

Slack-jawed, the general stared at the burned paper, then looked at Daniel. "Doctor Jackson, would you care to explain how the hell that just happened?"

"Well, sir, to all appearances, it would seem that Daniel has gained the ability to start fires," Jack answered. "And put them out, too, by the looks of things."

Again, Hammond looked at the archeologist. "Is that true?"

"Yes, sir. I can also move objects without touching them."

"How is such a thing possible?"

"I can't answer that for sure, though I have a feeling that it has something to do with the fact that I was ascended. It also has to do with the biofeedback training. That's how I discovered that I could do this."

Hammond was silent for several seconds. "This is extraordinary. How long have you known about this?"

"Since Tuesday night."

"Why didn't you report it immediately?"

Daniel didn't reply for a moment. "Because I knew what would happen when everyone found out."

"Which is?"

Daniel stared at the man. "I think you know, General. The NID may have cleaned up their act, but it's no mystery what they'll do when they learn about this."

That statement sobered everyone.

Jack leaned forward. "Sir, I know that Daniel believes he's the one who's doing this, but I think that there's another possible answer: Oma Desala."

Hammond frowned. "The Ancient who helped Doctor Jackson ascend?"

"Yes, sir. On Kheb, Daniel thought that he was lighting fires and moving things with his own mind, but it turned out that it was really her."

"And you believe that it's the same thing this time?"

"I think it's possible."

"It's not, Jack, not this time," Daniel insisted.

"How do you know, Daniel?" Sam asked. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I can feel it. I can feel myself doing this. I didn't feel that on Kheb. It also gave me a headache, which didn't happen on Kheb."

Jack's eyes locked on his. "You didn't say anything about a headache before, Daniel."

"It went away."

Sam looked at him worriedly. "Daniel, if you _are_ the one who's doing this, it's possible that it's putting a physical strain on you. There could be some danger involved."

"I only got the headache when I made those fireballs, and since that's something that I hope I'll never have to do again, I'm not going to worry about it."

"Fireballs?" Hammond questioned. He looked at all the members of SG-1. "I think that someone had better explain the rest of what happened on the planet."

Seeing that Daniel really didn't want to, Jack told the general the rest of it. Hammond was clearly stunned by the revelation. He looked at the archeologist, who was once again staring at the tabletop.

"Doctor Jackson, I'm not sure what to believe about this. I think that Doctor Fraiser should run some tests on you. For now, I will not report this to my superiors, but I'm afraid that I can only delay doing so for a day or so."

Daniel nodded faintly. "I know, sir."

"All right. Go back to the infirmary and fill Doctor Fraiser in on all of this. Have her run whatever tests she believes are appropriate. In addition to your mission report, I'd like you to write a report on what happened in your home on Tuesday." The general paused. In a gentle tone of voice, he then said, "I hate to do this, Son, but I must ask that you remain on base for now."

Daniel gave another nod and stood. He silently left the room.

"Sir, is it really necessary to restrict Daniel to the base?" Jack asked, not at all happy.

"Colonel, if Doctor Jackson did, indeed, do those things himself, that is a hell of a lot of power for one person to have. Keeping him on the base for now is just a precaution."

"Sir, you can't possibly think that Daniel's a danger to anyone," Sam objected. "This is _Daniel_ we're talking about."

"No, Major, I don't, but that belief will most likely not be shared by certain other people when they learn of this."

Horrified, Sam blurted out. "General, are you telling us that Daniel might be kept a prisoner for the rest of his life because of this?"

"Absolutely not, Major. I will not allow such a thing to happen. But, for now, it may be necessary."

"Pardon me, sir, but that really stinks," Jack stated, not hiding his anger.

"I understand how you feel, Colonel, and I'm sorry that this has to be done. I assure you that it will be for as short a time as I can possibly make it."

Jack, Sam and Teal'c were dismissed. They headed straight to the infirmary. Just outside, they found Daniel. He was leaning against the wall, head bowed and arms wrapped about himself in a hug. That was something they hadn't seen in a long time, and seeing it now upset all of them greatly.

"It's already starting, isn't it," Daniel murmured as they came up to him.

"What's starting?" Sam asked gently.

"Everything is changing. Being restricted to the base is just the first step. Then will come the tests, first those by Janet, then by the NID. After that, they'll insist that I stay at Area 51 so that they can keep studying me, find out what makes me tick. I'll be forced to leave SG-1, and—"

"Now hold it right there," Jack interrupted firmly. "You are _not_ going to be forced to leave SG-1, Daniel, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let anyone treat you like some kind of interesting germ under a microscope."

Daniel looked at him. "You may not be able to stop it, Jack."

"The hell I won't. You have rights, Daniel, and we're not going to let anyone violate them."

"He's right, Daniel," Sam assured him. "They can't force you to submit to tests against your will, and they can't make you go to Area 51 or anywhere else you don't want to."

Daniel appreciated his friends' words of comfort and assurance, but he knew as well as they did that the U.S. Government was not above violating people's rights. They'd seen that more than once during these years in the Stargate Program.

"Before today's mission, I had pretty much decided that I wasn't going to tell anyone about this," Daniel told his teammates. "I figured that it would be safer that way, for everyone."

"I'm sorry, Daniel," Jack said. "I'm sorry this is happening. But I promise you that I'll do everything in my power to make this turn out okay." He rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "It's going to be all right. Trust me."

Daniel searched his friend's eyes deeply, seeing the man's promise shining there. "Thanks, Jack."

The four of them entered the infirmary. They went over to Janet and told her that they needed to speak with her in private. She led them to her office and closed the door. There, Daniel, with some help from his teammates, told her everything. Needless to say, the doctor was shocked by the news.

"Daniel, this is unbelievable. I know that because of the genetic manipulations performed by Nirrti, Cassandra developed paranormal abilities, but that was something totally unnatural. If you're right about this, it means that, somehow, being ascended for that year made your own natural abilities become active. There are, of course, individuals who claim to have psychic abilities, but nothing on this level. I am concerned about that headache you mentioned, though. Using these abilities might put a strain on your body. Did you feel any other negative physical effects?"

"No, nothing, just the headache, and it went away pretty quickly."

"All right, I'm going to run some tests, an MRI, PET scan, EEG, a few blood tests. I want to see if there are any changes in your brain chemistry. I'm afraid that you're going to be here for a while." Janet looked at his teammates. "You might as well go take care of other things. I'll give you a call when we're finished."

Jack shook his head. "We're staying."

Something in the colonel's voice told Janet that she could argue till she was blue in the face and not budge him from the infirmary. "All right. Just don't get in the way of the nurses."

Thus started Daniel ordeal. He was repeatedly scanned, stuck with needles, and hooked up to various machines. By the time it was over, he never wanted to see the infirmary again for as long as he lived. Now, dressed in infirmary pajamas and sitting on one of the beds with his teammates gathered around him, he was eating the dinner that Sam had brought him, though he really wasn't all that hungry.

He had just finished when the doctor came over. Knowing that Daniel didn't want word of this to get around, she suggested that they all return to her office, which they did.

"So, what did you find out?" Jack asked her.

"Some very interesting things. There is definitely a change in the activity in Daniel's brain. Specifically, there is a significant increase in activity in areas where we normally don't see much. Daniel's brain chemistry is unaffected, but his at rest EEG is noticeably different from what it used to be. I talked with Doctor White, and she said that she had seen no significant differences in Daniel's EEG at the start of each of their daily sessions, which means that this change happened within the last two days. Daniel canceled his session yesterday."

"After what happened the previous night, I didn't think it was a good idea for me to do it," Daniel told her.

"That might have been a wise precaution."

"Did you tell Eliza what happened?"

"No, she doesn't have clearance for something like this."

"Is there any way that she could be given clearance?"

"Why?"

"I use biofeedback every time I do this, Janet. It's possible that she might have some insights on what's going on."

Janet thought about that. "All right, I'll talk to the general and ask that Doctor White be brought in on this."

"So, what now?" Sam asked.

"Now, Daniel can relax for a while. Some of the blood test results are not in yet, and he will, of course, have to stay on base tonight in case something shows up, but I'm all done with him for now."

"Staying on base isn't going to be an issue," Daniel said. Not explaining, he left the office, got his clothes, and headed for the bathroom to change. The doctor turned to his teammates for an explanation.

"Daniel is confined to the base until further notice, Janet," Sam told her.

"Why is. . . ." The answer suddenly came to the doctor. "Oh. It's because of what he can do, isn't it."

"Bingo," Jack confirmed. "Hammond figures that there are people who are going to view Daniel as a possible danger to the populace, which is a load of crap. Daniel wouldn't hurt anyone. Just because he can now light fires and move things with his mind doesn't change that."

Janet paused a moment before speaking again. "I hate to say this, Colonel, but Daniel did say that killing those Jaffa was unintentional, and there was the incident at his house. Can we be sure that he can remain in full control of these abilities?"

Jack's first instinct was to say yes, but the truth was that they _didn't_ know how much control Daniel had over these newfound abilities of his, and, until they could be sure that he had absolute control, he would be considered a danger.

"Crap. This is turning into one big mess in a hurry."

"Why do things like this keep happening to Daniel?" Sam asked, her heart aching for her friend.

"I feel confident that Daniel Jackson will gain mastery over his abilities," Teal'c stated. "He is a man of great strength and perseverance."

"Yes, he is, Teal'c," Jack agreed. "The thing is, though, that, even when Daniel does have full control of this, his life is never going to be the same. None of us have normal lives, but at least, up until now, we were all normal human beings. Um, except you, of course, T. But, now, Daniel, uh . . . isn't."

"Sir, Daniel may have abilities now that the average human doesn't, but he's still normal in every other way," Sam said. "As long as the NID doesn't keep causing a big problem, this wouldn't have to change Daniel life that much. In fact, it'll be up to us to see that it doesn't."

"What do you mean, Sam?" Janet asked.

"If we treat him differently, it will affect him." Sam looked at all of them closely. "Daniel's going to be going through a lot, and he needs to feel that there's something he can count on, people he can trust to just be his friends."

"Major Carter is correct," Teal'c intoned. "We must not treat Daniel Jackson any differently than we did before these occurrences."

Jack nodded. "You're right." He got to his feet. "Come on. Let's go drag him to the commissary for some chocolate cake. He could use some cheering up."

Sam smiled faintly. "Chocolate cake, sir?"

"Hey, I may not be a huge chocolate fan myself, but I've read all that stuff about it being good for when you're depressed. And we all know that Daniel loves it."

Daniel had already left the infirmary. His teammates caught up to him on his way to his office and dragged him, not quite kicking and screaming, to the commissary, which didn't have any more chocolate cake, but did have a delicious chocolate cream pie that satisfied everyone's sweet tooth. While they ate, they talked about things that had nothing to do with the mission or Daniel's newfound abilities, though it had taken a while to get the linguist to join in on the conversation.

Daniel appreciated his team's efforts to make him feel better and the fact that they were no longer acting differently around him. The problem was that another thought had come to him a while ago. How were the rest of the people at the SGC going to react when they found out about this? There was no way that it could be hidden from them once Hammond gave his report. How many of the personnel here would be able to get past the fact that Daniel had that kind of power and treat him like a normal person? How many would be too nervous to be around him from now on?

Daniel realized how naive he had been on Kheb when he thought that he'd gained those powers. All he had been thinking about was having the ability to protect Sha're's son from the Goa'uld. He hadn't considered the other ramifications, how it would utterly change his life. Well, he was thinking about it now and was heartily wishing that this had never happened.

Jack, Sam and Teal'c looked at Daniel, who had fallen silent again. They knew that he was worried about what was going to happen. So were they. They didn't want to see their friend's life destroyed by this, but there was a real chance that would happen.

"Daniel, is there anything we can do for you?" Sam asked, resting her hand on his arm.

"Can you predict another solar flare so that we can go back in time through the Stargate and keep this from happening?" Daniel asked.

"I wish I could."

"Then I don't think that there's anything you can do."

Sam gave Daniel's arm a squeeze. He looked into her eyes and saw her compassion and concern for him. It was there on the faces of all his teammates. He drew in a deep breath.

"It'll be okay," he said, trying to believed the words. "I mean, we always figure something out, right?"

"You bet," Jack agreed forcefully. "Things are going to be fine."

Daniel gave them a weak smile. "Then there's nothing to worry about."

"Nope, not a thing." Jack stood up. "Come on. Let's all go to the gym and beat up some helpless punching bags."

Deciding he liked that idea, Daniel went with his teammates to the gym. Instead of attacking one of the punching bags, however, Jack suggested that he and Daniel do a little hand-to-hand combat workout. The archeologist knew that, if anything could distract him from his troubles, it would be that.

The two men circled each other on the mat, looking for an opening. In the years that Daniel had been with the SGC, he had learned a lot from both Jack and Teal'c about fighting. He was no longer the hesitant, fumbling academic who didn't want anything to do with such things. In fact, every once in a while, he'd actually managed to get Jack down on the mat, though that didn't happen very often. The colonel had way more years of experience in hand-to-hand combat. It was usually only Daniel's superior physical condition and strength that gave him an edge.

Focusing his entire attention on what he and Jack were doing, Daniel waited for the colonel to make his move. He'd found out long ago that he had a lot more patience than Jack, and, while he could quite easily do nothing more than watch his opponent endlessly, Jack couldn't and, sooner or later, would attack an opening he saw in his opponent's defenses.

Sure enough, they had been circling each for only half a minute or so when Jack suddenly went for Daniel. The archeologist had anticipated the move and countered it easily. They broke away from each other and resumed circling.

A few seconds later, Jack came at Daniel again, and, like before, he successfully countered the action. This time, however, he drove on with an attack of his own. With some effort, Jack broke away.

"Good one, Daniel. I don't think you've ever used that move before," Jack remarked.

"Teal'c showed it to me a few weeks ago."

The two men fell silent, turning their full attention back on what they were doing. Daniel watched Jack carefully, ready to defend himself against attack and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. That moment came several seconds later. Instantly taking advantage of it, Daniel attacked. Almost before he even realized fully what he was doing, Daniel grabbed Jack, flipped him to the ground, and put him in a stranglehold, managing to pin both of Jack's arms at the same time.

Stunned, Jack lay very still, waiting for Daniel to release him. Struggling would do him no good. He had no leverage in this position.

Daniel released him, and the two men sat facing each other on the mat.

"Okay, that was . . . rather humiliating," Jack admitted, never having been taken down quite so easily by an unarmed opponent before. Well, except for Teal'c, that is. "Have you been secretly practicing or something?"

Daniel was also surprised by what he'd just done. "Uh . . . no. I just . . . saw an opening and took it."

"What opening?"

"You, um, were slightly off balance for a second."

Jack stared at Daniel. "How could you tell?"

"I . . . don't know, really. I just could. Maybe something in the angle of your body or the way your feet were positioned."

Jack smiled. "Well, Daniel, I have to say that I'm impressed." His smile took on a wicked glint. "But don't think that this means I admit defeat. I have not yet begun to fight."

Daniel returned the smile. "Whatever you say, John Paul Jones."

The two men faced off again. This time, it was Jack who attacked. He managed to get hold of Daniel and had him down on the mat. But, at the last second, before Jack could deliver the 'killing' blow, Daniel broke his hold and got away from him.

After that, both men tried several moves that failed to bring the other down. Finally, Daniel yet again got Jack on the mat and in a tight hold from which Jack could not escape, though it had been much harder this time.

"Damn, Daniel," Jack panted as the two men sat facing each other. "You keep this up, and I'll have to get tough on you."

Daniel grinned. "Get tough on me, huh? So, you're claiming that you've been pulling your punches all this time, Jack?"

The colonel would have liked to answer yes for the sake of his pride, but the truth was that he had been earnestly trying to beat Daniel. He'd stopped taking it easy on the archeologist years ago, once it no longer became necessary, and Daniel was well aware of that fact.

Jack got to his feet, his muscles complaining. "Come on, tough guy. This old man's had enough for today."

Telling Sam and Teal'c that they'd see them later, the two men hit the showers, then went to Daniel's office. The linguist sat at his desk and watched his friend wander around the room, looking at this and that.

"You know, Jack, you don't have to keep me company. I've got plenty of work to keep me busy."

The colonel looked at Daniel closely. "Are you going to be all right?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay."

"We are going to get through this, Daniel. Count on it."

The younger man gave him a faint smile. "Thanks, Jack."

Jack left Daniel's office, hoping that he'd be able to keep the promise he had made to his friend.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

As a show of support for their teammate, Jack and Sam remained on base that night. Teal'c, who still lived on base, had invited Daniel to join him in Kel'no'reem, but the archeologist declined, not wanting to chance that something might happen.

The next morning, Janet told him that she hadn't found any irregularities in his bloodwork. She also told him that Hammond had granted permission for Eliza White to be told what was going on. Daniel already had an appointment at two o'clock with the woman and decided that would be as good a time as any to tell her.

It was shortly before one o'clock when Hammond called Daniel to his office.

"I read your report on the mission, Doctor Jackson, and there is a question that I must ask you. Do you feel that you can gain full control of this ability of yours?"

"I hope so, sir. I believe that I can. I shouldn't have tried doing something like what I did on the planet with so little practice. It was too much too soon. Looking back on it, I should have tried something else, maybe attempted to disarm the Jaffa."

Hammond leaned forward, putting his elbows on the desk. "I have to be honest, Doctor Jackson. From a military standpoint, this new ability of yours could be a tremendous asset. It could save a lot of lives and make some things possible that might otherwise be too dangerous to attempt."

"But?"

"But some individuals might consider your abilities to be too valuable to risk on off-world missions. As it is, there are already people who think that your knowledge and skills are too valuable to put at risk. You have no idea how many times I've had to justify keeping you on SG-1, especially after you descended with the full knowledge of the Ancients' language. After all, you are the only person on the planet with such an extensive understanding of it."

"And now that this has happened, they're going to be even more insistent that I'm taken off the team."

"I'm afraid so."

Daniel looked straight into Hammond's eyes. "Then what good would these abilities be?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said it yourself, General. They can save lives. They can help make the impossible possible. What good are they going to do if I'm not allowed to go out there and use them? I'm not saying that I want this power. I wish to hell that I didn't have it. But my life has already been permanently changed by this. If I can't use them to help people and fight the Goa'uld, then it'll all be for nothing."

General Hammond gazed at the younger man. "You're absolutely right, and I will use that very argument if it should become necessary." His expression became sympathetic. "I'm sorry, but I am going to have to report everything to my superiors today. I cannot put it off any longer."

"Yeah, I already figured that."

"If there was some way that I could keep this confidential, I would, but something like this cannot be kept under wraps. I have a responsibility to report it."

"I know, sir."

"But I promise you that I will fight for you with all I have. I will do everything within my power to keep you out of Area 51 and on SG-1."

"Thank you, General."

"Once I make my report, there will, no doubt, be people who will want to talk to you. For that reason, I'm putting SG-1 on stand-down. I'll inform Colonel O'Neill of this."

Daniel nodded, having already guessed that he wouldn't be allowed to go on another mission until after all this was settled.

Hammond dismissed him. As he turned to go, Daniel paused. "Sir, there's something that your superiors and the NID need to understand. There is no other job in this government that I'd be interested in taking and no other . . . project outside of the SGC that I'd be willing to be assigned to."

Hammond met his eyes. "I understand, Doctor Jackson."

"If I am forced to leave the SGC and work for someone else, then I will cease to be an employee of this government and, very likely, will cease to be a resident of this planet."

There was a hard look in the archeologist's eyes that the general had never seen before, and he realized that, if worse came to worst, Daniel would walk through the Stargate and never return – and there wouldn't be a damn thing that anyone could do to stop him.

* * *

"Hello, Daniel," Eliza greeted. "I missed not having day before yesterday's session with you." She searched the man's eyes. "Is everything all right? Doctor Fraiser was asking me some questions about you. Has something happened?"

"Uh, yeah, you could say that."

"Something serious, I'm guessing."

"I think you'd better take a seat, Eliza."

The doctor settled into her chair, Daniel lowering himself into the other one.

"Okay, what I'm about to tell you is something that you wouldn't have had clearance to know a day ago," Daniel began, "but General Hammond gave permission for you to be told since it's connected to your field of expertise."

"Oh, boy. This _is_ serious."

"You have no idea. I think we're about to find out how open-minded you really are, Eliza."

The therapist waited silently for Daniel to continue.

"First of all, I need to tell you about something that happened to me a year and a half ago. We were on a mission on a planet called Kelowna when I was exposed to a lethal dose of radiation."

"Oh my God."

"Three days later, I . . . died." He paused upon seeing the eyes of the woman before him widen in shock and dismay. "Except that I didn't really die. I became something else, a form of life that lives on a higher plane of existence. My mortal body ceased to exist, and I became pure energy."

Eliza's mouth was hanging open. "Daniel, are you serious?"

"Very. Several years ago, we encountered a being made of pure energy while on a mission. We later learned that these beings call themselves the Ancients. Many thousands of years ago, the Ancients were flesh and blood like us, but some of them learned how to ascend to that higher plane. When I was dying, the one I met before, whose name is Oma Desala, came to me and told me that I could also ascend, become one of them. I took her up on her offer."

"Daniel, this is . . . my God, this is incredible."

"The Ancients and the others who have learned to ascend are very powerful. They can control fire and lightning and move objects at will. As one of them, I had those powers as well, but I wasn't allowed to use them to help anyone."

"Why not?"

"Because the Ancients have rules against interfering with the lives of others. To make a long story short, I couldn't live by those rules, and I helped SG-1 try to defeat a powerful enemy. My punishment for doing that was to be made human again. I was left on another planet with no memory of who I was. SG-1 and another team found me there two months later. In time, I regained most of my memories of my life before I ascended, but, to this day, I still have virtually no memory of what happened during the time I was ascended."

Eliza stared at him. "Wow. That is . . . that is the most amazing story I've ever heard. And here I thought it was amazing when I found out about the Stargate." She gave herself a little shake. "So, why are you telling me this now?"

"Because, on Tuesday night, something happened. You remember when we were talking about the beliefs of various cultures regarding psychic abilities?"

"Yes."

Daniel looked at her closely. "Do you really believe in those abilities, Eliza? Do you think that the human mind has the potential to do things that would be considered paranormal by most people?"

Eliza didn't hesitate in her reply. "Yes, I do, Daniel. In working with the human mind like I do, I've come to believe that there is something more, that there are depths and abilities we have yet to discover within ourselves."

"Well, that's good. Then maybe it won't surprise you when I tell you that I've done it."

"What?"

Knowing that, sooner or later, he'd have to demonstrate to Eliza what he could do, Daniel decided that now was as good a time as any. He looked over at the pen sitting on a nearby table. This time, it took only a couple of seconds to achieve the proper mental state. The pen flew across the room and into his outstretched hand.

Eliza gasped sharply. She stared in stunned fascination at the pen, then lifted her eyes to Daniel's. "Daniel, how did this happen?"

Daniel told her about what happened on Kheb, leaving out most of the information concerning the Harcesis. He then told her what happened Tuesday night.

Eliza shook her head. "Incredible. Daniel, there are things that I didn't mention before regarding EEG biofeedback. A lot of people have done research on the various brainwave frequencies and have discovered some remarkable things. As I already told you, the different frequencies have specific physical, mental and emotional effects on humans. You found that out for yourself during your training. However, a few individuals have also discovered that some frequencies can enable people to tap into previously latent psychic abilities. One of those frequencies is the one that you just spoke of, seven point zero. Among other things, that frequency has been linked to telekinesis, which, as you may know, is the power to move objects with the mind. Of course, this has not been proven to the medical or scientific communities, but there are a lot of people who wholeheartedly believe it."

"So, you're saying that this might not have anything to do with my ascension, that I might simply have stumbled upon just the right frequency to make this happen?"

"Not necessarily. For one thing, I haven't heard about anyone lighting or putting out fires by using biofeedback, although that doesn't mean it isn't possible or that someone out there hasn't succeeded in doing it. For another thing, I've never heard of anyone exhibiting the level of skill that you managed to master in a single evening." Eliza noticed a strange look pass across Daniel's face. "What is it? Is there something you haven't told me yet?"

"Yeah. There was an . . . incident during our last mission. We were attacked by enemies and got pinned down with no way of escape. I, um, decided to try using my abilities."

The tone in his voice warned the therapist that something bad had happened. "What happened, Daniel?"

"I accidentally incinerated about half a dozen of them."

Eliza's breath drew in sharply. "My God."

"I hadn't intended for that to happen. I just wanted to scare them, drive them away. But I miscalculated and lost control of the fire."

Seeing the expression of guilt in the man's eyes, Eliza reached out and laid her hand upon his. "Daniel, I am so sorry that happened, but it was an accident, and you were protecting yourself and your teammates. Would those people have killed you if you hadn't acted?"

"Most likely. Either that or they'd have captured us and taken us someplace to be tortured for information."

"Then you need to focus on that and not on what you accidentally did." Giving his hand a little pat, Eliza leaned back in her chair. "What you just told me gives me reason to believe that your ascension does have something to do with this. It may very well be that the human mind, on its own, has the kind of power that you've demonstrated, but, outside of the realm of science fiction, I don't think that any human being has ever tapped into it. The fact that you have, and so easily, leads me to believe that, when you retook human form, something was altered in your brain, something that took it to a higher level of evolution."

Daniel recalled what Thor had said about Jack being a genetic step forward in the evolutionary chain. Did this mean that he was, too? Had he always been that way or had his time as an ascended being done this to him? That was something he might never know.

"Daniel, what is all this going to mean for you?" Eliza asked.

"Good question. General Hammond is going to report everything to his superiors today, and you can bet that some people are going to be very interested in what I can do."

"Yes, I'm afraid that you're right about that. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, I don't think so, Eliza, but thanks for offering."

The therapist fell silent, her teeth gnawing on her lower lip. "Daniel, I know that you aren't going to want to be turned into some kind of test subject, but, if you're willing, I'd like to hook you up to my equipment and see what's going on in your mind and body while you use this power of yours. It might answer some questions."

"Janet has already scanned, poked and prodded every millimeter of my body to find out what's going on inside me. You might as well take a crack at it, too."

"Daniel, if you'd rather not. . . ."

"No, it's okay, Eliza. I've already been hooked up to your equipment plenty of times. Once more isn't going to kill me. Besides, you're right. It might answer some questions."

"All right. I don't have an opening today, but we could do it tomorrow afternoon. Chances are that we'll have to get permission from the general anyway."

"Okay."

Daniel and Eliza both stood.

"Everything will be all right, Daniel," the therapist said. "If you ever want to talk, I'll be happy to listen." She paused. "Or maybe you should talk to Sam."

Startled, Daniel stared at her. "What?"

"You and she are very close, aren't you?"

"Uh, yes, we are. She's one of the best friends I've ever had."

"Then you should talk to her. I'd hazard a guess that she's a good listener."

"She is, though I haven't taken advantage of it very often. I tend to keep things to myself."

"That isn't good for you, Daniel. It isn't good for anyone to keep things bottled up inside them."

Daniel said goodbye to Eliza, who told him that she'd discuss the tests with General Hammond. He'd barely made it back to his office when Jack and Sam showed up.

"So, did you tell her?" the major asked.

"Uh huh."

"How'd she take it?" That question had come from Jack.

"Good. Doctor White is a very open-minded person, Jack. She was surprised, but she had no trouble accepting what I told her."

Sam sat in a chair. "How much did you tell her?"

"About my ascension, Oma Desala, Kheb, what happened on Tuesday and yesterday's mission."

"Wow. That's a lot for her to take in all at once."

"Yeah, but she was fine."

Jack leaned his hip against Daniel's desk. "So, did the good doctor have any answers to all of this?"

"Well, she seems to think that I might have joined your exclusive club for the genetically advanced."

"Cool. Let's build a clubhouse. I've always wanted to come up with a secret handshake."

Sam smiled at the colonel's remark, a humorous image of him and Daniel sharing a complex, secret handshake, complete with bumping hips, flashing through her mind. The seriousness of the issue quickly sobered her, however. "What exactly did she say?" she asked Daniel.

"Well, put in a nutshell, she thinks it's possible that I might have returned to human form with a brain that's a bit higher up on the evolutionary scale."

Daniel recounted to his teammates what Eliza had discussed with him. Jack, of course, was very skeptical regarding all the stuff to do with brainwave frequencies relating to psychic abilities. Sam was a lot more willing to believe what the therapist had said, especially considering what was happening to Daniel.

"Does Janet know about the tests Eliza is going to do tomorrow?" she queried.

"Probably not yet, but I'm sure that Eliza will tell her. I doubt that she would do them without Janet's okay."

"Hammond told me that he's going to submit his report about you today," Jack said. "He's probably already done it by now."

"I know. And SG-1's on stand-down since I can't be allowed to go on a mission."

"That's just temporary, Daniel."

"Let's hope you're right. If not. . . ."

"What?"

Daniel looked at Jack in the eyes. "I won't allow anyone to take away my freedom, Jack. I won't let the NID or anyone else control my life and rob me of my ability to choose my own destiny."

"Daniel, what are you saying?" Sam asked, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

"If I'm forced to leave the SGC and am turned over to the NID, I'll have no choice but to leave Earth."

Surprised and alarmed by Daniel's declaration, Jack asked, "And go where?"

"I don't know. Maybe join the Tok'ra. There's no doubt that they'd be delighted to have my . . . special skills at their disposal. At least then we'd be able to see each other once in a while."

The thought of Daniel leaving Earth and the SGC upset Sam a lot. She'd missed him terribly during the year he was ascended and didn't want to think about losing him again, even if they would see him on occasion if he joined the Tok'ra.

"Well, that's not gonna happen, Daniel," Jack stated emphatically. "There is no way that we'll let the NID get their claws into you, and you are way too important to the SGC for us to lose you. Maybe if the NID gets too pushy, you could put on a little pyrotechnics show to scare them off."

"Oh, yes, Jack. Then they'd just label me a threat to Earth and throw me in some secured prison somewhere."

"Well, it was a thought."

"Daniel, maybe if you talked to the president personally, made him understand, he could tell the NID to leave you alone," Sam suggested.

"If that's what it takes, I'll do it."

"And I'll go with you," Jack told him. "The president likes me."

Daniel gave a tired sigh. He'd gotten very little sleep the last three nights, and it was beginning to catch up to him. "The next few days are probably going to be pretty hectic. I doubt it'll take much time for the NID and other representatives to show up."

"Which is why you need to get some sleep, Daniel. You look like crap."

Daniel wanted to argue that he couldn't sleep, but he knew that Jack was right.

"Go get some rest, Daniel," Sam said gently. "You'll feel better. Would you like me to get something from Janet to help you sleep?"

"No, I'll be okay."

Daniel went to the quarters that would be his home for at least the next few days, possibly longer. He was just about to lie down when he got a call from Eliza, who told him that everything had been okayed and set up for 12:30 tomorrow afternoon. Thanking her and ending the call, Daniel laid down on the bed. For several minutes, he lay staring up at the ceiling. He knew that he could probably put himself to sleep with biofeedback, but, ever since the mission, he'd been afraid to attempt it, although as long as he didn't linger at the seven point zero frequency, he'd probably be okay.

After an hour of unsuccessfully trying to get to sleep without the biofeedback, Daniel finally admitted defeat. Using the techniques that were quickly becoming second nature to him, Daniel lowered his brainwave frequency. He had learned that going to a frequency of four to six hertz, then slowly lowering to one point five to two point five would put him right to sleep. He quickly lowered his brainwaves to six hertz, then took it down two more notches to four. There, he lingered.

Daniel did not know how long he'd been at that frequency, when, all at once, his awareness of himself faded away. A hazy image formed in his mind. He saw Sam, Jack and Teal'c running across a large meadow as if he was looking through his own eyes and they were coming toward him. In the distance were dozens of Jaffa, the blasts from their staff weapons heating the air all around the team.

"Go, Daniel! Get to the gate!" Jack yelled. Then he spun around and fired off his P-90, taking out several Jaffa. The image shifted, and Daniel saw the Stargate before him. He was dialing Earth's address. Before he could finish, however, the scene changed again, back to Jack, Sam and Teal'c. The two men were in the lead, Sam having fallen slightly behind as she fired her weapon.

Suddenly, an Al'Kesh attack bomber swooped downward, aiming toward Jack, Sam and Teal'c. Bombs dropped from the underside of the craft, transforming the field into a living hell. Helplessly, Daniel watched as one of the bombs hurled directly toward Sam's position.

"Sam!" he heard his own voice scream.

Sam looked up just in time to see her death coming toward her. Then there was fire, and heat, and blood – and she was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

"Noooo!"

The room echoed with Daniel's anguished cry. Gasping, he flung himself upright. His chest heaving, he sat, shaking, on the bed.

"God," he whispered raggedly, dropping his head into his trembling hands. He remained that way for a long time.

This was not the first time that Daniel had dreamed about the death of one or more of his teammates. Such dreams had begun plaguing him not long after he joined the Stargate Program, and every one of them had left him shaken. But this one had been worse than most because it had seemed so real. He had actually felt the heat of the explosion and smelled the fire. Worst of all, he had felt Sam die, sensed her life being snuffed out in a single awful moment.

Knowing that there was no way he was going to get back to sleep any time soon, not even with biofeedback, Daniel got up. He put his shoes on and left the room. After wandering for a few minutes, Daniel realized that his wanderings had taken him in the direction of Sam's lab. He stopped just inside the doorway and watched her silently. She was studying an odd-looking device, her face a picture of concentration.

All at once, the image of Sam being blown to bits superimposed itself over the real-life scene. Daniel's gut twisted, a heartrending pain ripping through his chest.

Some small sound must have left his lips, for Sam's head jerked around in his direction.

"Daniel? Daniel, what's wrong?" She quickly strode toward him, grabbing his arm at the sight of his pale face.

Daniel blinked several times, dispelling the nightmare image. "Nothing. It's nothing," he said.

"Daniel, you looked like you were going to pass out there for a second. Are you sick?"

"No, I'm fine." He took a deep, unsteady breath.

Sam's expression hardened. "Sorry, Daniel, but I'm not buying that, not this time. Now, tell me what's wrong."

Daniel let out a sigh. "It's nothing. I just . . . I had a nightmare, that's all."

"A nightmare?"

"Yeah. You know how I'm prone to them. This was just one of the really bad ones."

Sam led Daniel to a chair and sat down with him. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

Sam just kept watching him, her lovely blue eyes full of compassion. Finally, the archeologist gave in.

"We were on a mission," he explained. "We were being chased by a bunch of Jaffa across a meadow. I made it to the gate, but you guys were still a ways from it. Then, all of a sudden, there was this Al'Kesh. It started dropping its bombs, and. . . ."

"And?"

Daniel looked into Sam's eyes. "And you died."

Sam paused a heartbeat. "Oh."

Daniel ran a hand over his face. "When I saw you standing there, I flashed back to the dream, and it . . . shook me."

Sam rubbed Daniel's arm soothingly, studying his face closely. "Daniel, are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little shaky, that's all. It'll pass."

"I'm not just talking about the nightmare, Daniel; I'm talking about everything. I can't even imagine how hard all of this must be on you, how overwhelming it is."

Daniel's first instinct was to minimize his feelings, to say that he was handling it. But then he remembered Eliza's advice. He looked into Sam's eyes, seeing how much she cared and wanted to help. He knew that if there was anyone in the universe that he could freely talk to about this, it was her.

"I've always rolled with the punches," he said in a low voice. "Ever since my parents died, I learned to adapt to the things that happened in my life and move on. It wasn't always easy, but I did it. Losing Sha're was hard. It took a long time for me to really adjust to that. There have been times when I've wondered if it was all worth it, if it wouldn't be better just to give up. I pretty much did after Kelowna."

"No, you didn't, Daniel," Sam insisted. "You were faced with either death or living the rest of your life as a cripple. Choosing to ascend instead was definitely the better choice. Faced with that choice, I'd have done the same thing. You thought that you'd be able to help as an ascended being, didn't you? All that power used to fight against the Goa'uld and other evil. How could you _not_ choose ascension over the alternative?"

Daniel stared into her eyes. "I almost didn't, Sam."

"What?"

"I almost decided just to let myself die. I was so tired, Sam. I thought that my whole life had been a failure and that I wasn't worthy of ascension."

Sam's face filled with shock and disbelief. "Daniel, how could you possibly think that, you of all people?"

"I'd lost so much, Sam, and it seemed that, no matter how hard I tried to make a difference, I was falling back two steps for every step forward. I blamed myself for Sha're's death and so many other things. It just seemed like there had been a lot more failures in my life than successes."

"Daniel, that isn't true," Sam said in a distressed voice. "You have done so, so much, accomplished so many things. We all owe our lives to you more than once. The whole planet does, not to mention other civilizations."

"I know, Sam. I realize now that what I was thinking back then was wrong. I was just so tired of it all, and I was hurting so much. I wanted it to be over."

Daniel's words had really upset Sam. She'd had no idea that he felt that way back then. If she'd had any clue, she would have knocked some sense into him, shown him how very important he was, not only to the Earth and the SGC, but also to her, Jack, Teal'c, and all his other friends.

Sam grabbed hold of her friend's hand. "Daniel. . . ."

He gave her hand a squeeze. "It's okay, Sam. Like I said, I don't feel that way anymore. Even though I don't remember most of it, ascension taught me a valuable lesson, about life and about myself. Actually, it taught me more than one. As it turns out, I may have to pass on one of those lessons to some other people soon."

"What do you mean?"

"General Hammond is pretty sure that some people are going to insist that I be removed from SG-1 because I'm too valuable to risk on off-world missions."

Though Sam had already known that there was a chance Daniel might be removed from SG-1, hearing it spoken drove home the distressing reality of that fact. "What are you going to do if that happens?"

"Try to convince them that they're making a mistake. That's all I can do. If I can't be out there, using these abilities to help others, then what's the point?" Daniel's eyes slid away from hers. "I just hope. . . ."

"What?"

"I hope that I'm . . . grown up enough to handle this kind of power." Daniel's gaze returned to Sam. "Do you remember when Shifu gave me that dream?"

"Daniel, this isn't the same thing. You were under the influence of the Goa'uld genetic memories in that dream. It was the memories that changed you, made you do those things, not the power that you gained."

"I know, but it still brings up the question. The Nox, the Tollans and, in the beginning, the Asgard all believed that the human race is too primitive to be given the power that comes with advanced technology, especially weapons technology. Thinking about the way things are here on Earth, you can't blame them for believing that. So far, we've done a pretty good job with the advanced technology that we've gotten hold of." Daniel smiled slightly. "We haven't blown up Earth with it yet." The smile vanished. "But that's only because, with the exception of those rogue members of the NID, we've managed to keep that technology out of the hands of people who shouldn't have it." Daniel got up and walked away a couple of paces. "But this. I'm not sure that _any_ human should have this kind of power. It . . . scares me."

Sam rose to her feet and went to Daniel. She moved around to face him. His eyes would not meet hers.

"Daniel, I understand what you're saying, and I definitely understand why you feel that way, but there's something that you need to know. If I could pick one human being on Earth, one human in this entire _galaxy_ to give this power to, it would be you."

Shocked, Daniel's head came up, his eyes meeting hers, searching deeply for the truth of her statement.

"You _are_ grown up enough to handle that power, Daniel. I don't doubt that for a second."

Sam's words caused a warm glow to kindle deep inside him. Her faith and trust in him and the kind of person he was meant a lot to him, even more than he'd realized till now.

"Thanks, Sam," he murmured, knowing those two words weren't enough to express his gratitude.

Sam wrapped her arms around him. Daniel returned the hug, not wanting to let go. He needed this. As much as he liked to think of himself as an independent man, he needed the love that he had here with his friends, and it was tearing him apart that he might lose it all.

Sam felt Daniel's arms abruptly tighten around her, his face press against her neck, and she instinctively knew what he was thinking. And so she held onto him, not wanting to think about the fact that Daniel might have to leave them.

Quite a while passed before the two friends parted. Daniel cupped Sam's cheek with his hand.

"You're a good friend, Sam," he said softly, his intensely blue eyes gazing into hers deeply.

A gentle smile lit Sam's features. "You are, too, Daniel."

Looking into the warmth of Sam's eyes, a sudden desire gripped Daniel, and, before he could stop himself, he bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Sam gasped at the touch.

Daniel drew back, releasing her. "I'm . . . I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have done that."

Sam touched her mouth. "No, it's, um . . . it's okay. We're . . . we're friends. It's all right for friends to kiss each other."

Both of them feeling nervous all of a sudden, they put several feet between them, Sam returning to the worktable and Daniel wandering over to one of the computers against the wall. Several seconds of silence passed between them.

"You should try to get some more sleep, Daniel," Sam finally said.

He gave a strained little laugh. "That didn't work so well when I tried before. I'm afraid of repeating the process."

"You can't stay up all night."

"No, I know that, but maybe if I get tired enough, I can fall asleep without the biofeedback."

"You were using biofeedback to put yourself to sleep?"

"Yes. Eliza showed me how. I can lower my brainwave pattern to the level it is during sleep, and it puts me right out."

"But you had a nightmare this time."

"Yeah. I didn't even make it into the delta frequency. I apparently fell asleep before I finished the process."

"Because you're tired, Daniel. I know that you couldn't have gotten much sleep these past couple of days, not with everything that's happening."

Daniel knew that she was right. He was just afraid of having another nightmare like the last one. Ironically, the biofeedback was supposed to have helped him with the nightmares, not cause more of them.

"Maybe I will get something from Janet to help me sleep," he said.

"That sounds like a good idea."

"I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Okay. I hope you get some sleep."

Giving him a smile, Sam watched Daniel leave the lab. As soon as he was gone, the smile vanished.

_'Okay, Sam, what the hell was that?'_ she asked herself. The "that" in question was the feeling she experienced when Daniel kissed her, a feeling that sent her pulse racing and a hot, tingling flush of excitement flood through her body from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Sam was not so naive that she didn't recognize that feeling for what it was. She'd felt something similar in the past when being kissed, though seldom with that intensity. The problem was that she'd just experienced it with Daniel, her best friend and teammate.

_'Oh, this is **so** not good,'_ she stated silently. "Great. Now I'm starting to sound like Colonel O'Neill in my head," she then muttered aloud.

That remark made Sam think about her C.O. For a long time now, she had been harboring feelings for Jack. She knew that it was wrong, that regulations forbid any kind of relationship between them, but that didn't stop her from having those feelings. Looked at logically, Sam didn't know how it had happened. She and Jack weren't at all compatible. They had virtually nothing in common except the military and SG-1. A relationship between them would probably be doomed to failure. They'd likely drive each other nuts inside a year. But all the logical arguments in the world didn't seem to matter to her heart.

Usually, Sam was able to ignore her feelings, shove them to a back corner of her mind. And she never let them interfere with her job. Sometimes, like when Jack did something that really drove home to Sam how difficult it would be to make a relationship between them work, she realized how stupid she was being about the whole thing. At those times, she could easily put her feelings for him completely out of her head. But then there were those other times, like when he was being a good friend, or showing that funny, charming side of his personality, or when he was demonstrating how excellent a commanding officer he really was. It was then that she'd remember why she had developed these feelings in the first place.

Sam didn't know if it was romantic love she felt for Jack or just a strong physical attraction coupled with deep admiration and love for him as a friend. All she knew for certain was that what she felt was way more than anyone in the military was supposed to feel for their commanding officer.

But, now, a new question had come to plague Sam's mind. How could she have those feelings for Jack, yet experience what she just did when Daniel kissed her?

* * *

Daniel slowly headed for the infirmary, deep in thought. For the first time in three days, his thoughts were not focused primarily on his newfound abilities. Instead, they were on what had just happened in Sam's lab. He had no idea what possessed him to do what he did. It had been stupid, foolhardy and totally insane. What the hell had he been thinking? He _hadn't_ been thinking, that was the problem. He'd been reacting to emotions that had suddenly arisen, emotions he should not have been feeling, not for Sam.

It had been a very, very long time since Daniel had experienced feelings like that, not since he became attracted to Ke'ra, the woman who turned out to be Linea, the woman called the Destroyer of Worlds. Those feelings had been a colossal mistake, just as these were. The best thing for him to do would be to forget about them and pretend that kiss never happened.

Daniel's arrival at the infirmary put any further thoughts on the subject on hold. Janet was instantly concerned when he asked her for a sleeping pill, but she accepted his explanation that he hadn't been sleeping well because of stress.

Deciding that he should probably eat something first, Daniel went to the commissary. As he ate his dinner, he watched the men and women around him. Most of them were people he knew. Some he considered to be friends. How many of them would still be his friends after they found out about what he could do?

Back in his quarters, Daniel took the pill, then read a book as he waited for it to take effect. Finally, he began to grow drowsy and laid down. He was asleep within a few minutes.

* * *

Daniel's eyes opened blearily. He looked at the clock beside the bed and was surprised to see 7:15 on its readout. He'd slept for nine straight hours. Daniel couldn't remember the last time he'd slept that long.

Forcing the cobwebs out of his brain, Daniel stumbled out of bed and to the bathroom. He remembered now why he hated taking sleeping pills. They always left him with a drugged, muzzy feeling that took hours – or several cups of coffee – to completely dispel.

A long shower and three cups of coffee later, Daniel was feeling relatively clear-headed. He was just finishing breakfast when he received an order to come to General Hammond's office. When he arrived there, he found that the general was not alone. Three other men were there, two in military uniform, the other in civilian clothing.

"Doctor Jackson, this is Colonel Morrison," Hammond gestured toward the eldest of the three men, "Major Rice, and Doctor Fairview. Colonel Morrison is from the Pentagon, Major Rice works for the NID and Doctor Fairview is stationed at Area 51."

The three men were staring at Daniel with varying expressions. The colonel was studying him with a suspicious look, the NID man's face bore an expression that couldn't be called anything but calculating, and the scientist was openly curious.

"Shall we take this to the briefing room, Gentleman?" Hammond asked.

The five of them were just sitting down at the table when Jack came into the briefing room.

"Colonel O'Neill, you were not called to this meeting," Hammond said.

"I know, sir, but, as Daniel's C.O., I thought I should be here."

The general was just about to ask Jack to leave but then saw the plea in Daniel's eyes.

"Very well, Colonel. Please take a seat."

Jack took the seat beside Daniel and was briefly introduced to the visitors.

"Doctor Jackson, General Hammond has submitted a report about you that, quite frankly, sounds like something out of science fiction," Colonel Morrison said.

"Well, considering that we're sitting just a few yards away from something that many people would say the same thing about, I should think that you'd be open-minded enough to accept the general's report as the truth," Daniel responded.

Morrison frowned severely. "That may be so, Doctor, but I still have to wonder how this suddenly came to be. You have never in the past exhibited any kind of . . . psychic abilities," his gaze narrowed slightly, "unless you have been hiding your possession of such abilities."

"I haven't been hiding anything, Colonel. This all happened very suddenly. You've probably read a complete file on me, so you know that some . . . things have happened to me over the past year and a half."

The colonel looked in a file folder he had before him. "Yes. You were exposed to a fatal dose of radiation and 'ascended' to a higher plane of existence. Is that right?"

"Yes."

"And how exactly does that work?"

"My physical body died and was transformed into a form of life that exists as pure energy. My consciousness remained intact in that new form."

"And, in this new form, you had the same power as the beings called the Ancients?" The new question had come from Major Rice.

"That's right," Daniel replied. "I could do the whole nine yards, start fires, make lightning shoot out of the sky, and move things without touching them."

"But you were returned to human form," said Morrison.

"Yep. I broke the rules and got kicked out of the club."

The colonel looked at another piece of paper. "According to the medical report, you were found to be completely human, no abnormalities."

"Nothing that could be detected, but we all know that there are lots of things medical instruments can't detect."

"Yet, according to Doctor Fraiser's report, she _did_ detect a difference in the tests she just gave you. Can you explain that?"

"No, I can't. I can only guess that it has something to do with what happened on Tuesday."

"Tuesday? Ah, yes. You claim that you lit and extinguished a candle psychically and caused a . . . fork to fly across the room after having a dream about the Ancient called Oma Desala."

Daniel remained silent, figuring that there was no reason to respond.

"Doctor Jackson, I'd like to know more about what happened on your last mission," Rice said. "The planet. . . ."

"P2Q-353," Daniel interjected.

"P2Q-353 hadn't shown any signs of recent Goa'uld activity, right?"

"None at all. The ruins had been abandoned for quite some time. Neither the MALP nor the UAV detected signs of Goa'uld or Jaffa being anywhere near the Stargate or the ruins."

"So, you were not prepared for the attack."

Daniel glanced at Jack. "No."

"According to the reports filed by you and your teammates, the fighting was quite intense, intense enough that there was some serious question as to whether or not any of you would survive. Is that also true?"

Daniel wondered where the man was going with his line of questioning. "Yes, it was pretty bad."

"Which means that you were able to launch a psychic attack under extreme battle conditions."

Mystery solved. Rice wanted to know if Daniel could use his abilities when things got hot. "I managed," he said shortly.

Rice waved his hand at the report. "You managed quite well, according to this. You took out at least six Jaffa with your first attack and sent the rest running with your second."

Daniel tensed at the way the NID man talked about the incident, as if he was quite pleased and impressed that Daniel had caused six men to burn to death. The archeologist felt someone touch him, and he turned to see Jack looking at him, the man's firm, steadying hand on his shoulder. Daniel gave him a tiny smile of gratitude.

"Maybe you'd like an up close and personal demonstration right now, Major," Jack said, smiling nastily, "to see how well Daniel 'manages' when no one is shooting at him. I bet he could really light your fire."

It was Colonel Morrison who responded to Jack's remark rather than Major Rice. "Actually, Colonel O'Neill, we will want a demonstration of Doctor Jackson's abilities."

"I'd really rather not," Daniel told him.

"Doctor Jackson, we must determine the validity of these statements."

"Why? This isn't a job interview, Colonel. I'm not applying for a new position or asking for a raise. I really don't want these new abilities of mine to change anything, except maybe make it possible for me to help the SGC and my team even more than I do now."

Doctor Fairview's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You can't possibly want to stay on an SG team now."

Daniel looked at him. "As a matter of fact, I do. I have no desire to leave SG-1."

"But that would be such a waste, beneath your talents!"

Jack glared at him. "Excuse me? If it wasn't for the SG teams, your ass would have been fried by the Goa'uld years ago. Out there on missions is _exactly_ where someone with Daniel's talents should be, defending Earth and other human-inhabited planets from the Goa'uld and all those other nasty critters."

"Whether or not Doctor Jackson remains on SG-1 is an issue that will be decided later," Colonel Morrison said sternly. "Right now, I must insist that verification of his abilities be made."

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "Fine. You want verification? You got it."

"Daniel? Don't do something stupid," Jack warned under his breath.

The archeologist didn't reply. Instead, he just stared down at the table. For a few seconds nothing happened, then, all at once, the table and everything on it started shaking. Startled, everyone except Daniel moved away from it. They watched, open-mouthed, as the big conference table slowly lifted into the air about a foot, hovered there for several seconds, then lowered back down to settle in its former spot. The linguist looked around at everyone and saw varying expressions of surprise and amazement.

"So, was that verification enough?" he asked. "Or would you like me to blow something up, too?"

"That was extraordinary!" exclaimed Fairview. He started babbling on about gravity, air molecules, and the principles involved in influencing a solid mass without any kind of detectable force. He was shut up by Colonel Morrison.

"I would like to know how you did that, Doctor Jackson," the colonel then said, staring at the archeologist with a hard, no-nonsense expression.

"So would I," Daniel told him, "but that's something I can't answer. I really have no idea how I do these things."

"And that is something we intend to find out," Major Rice said, looking at Daniel like he intended to dissect him right then and there.

"Oh, I don't think so," Jack stated, his protective instincts on full alert, "not if it involves treating Daniel like some kind of guinea pig. What does it matter how he does it? What's important is that he can and that his ability will be a big help to the SGC and SG-1."

"We need to find out how Doctor Jackson is able to do this. A study of the process and his brain could give us clues on how to create this ability in others," Doctor Fairview said.

"No."

Everyone looked at Daniel, who was wearing an expression that Jack knew well, the one that said he'd dug in his heels and wasn't going to budge.

"I won't submit to any tests performed by you or anyone else in Area 51, or the NID, or anyplace else outside of the SGC," he said.

Colonel Morrison's face hardened even more. "Doctor Jackson, you are a government employee who—"

"Who still has free will and lives in a free country," Daniel interrupted. "I may be a government employee who is working for the military, but that doesn't mean I have no say in what I will and will not submit to. Legally, you cannot force me to undergo any tests or examinations unless it's a matter of national security or some issue of safety. This afternoon at 12:30, I am scheduled to undergo some tests performed by Doctor Eliza White, and those are the _only_ tests I will agree to, except any others that Doctor Fraiser may need to do."

Colonel Morrison scanned the file he had. "Doctor White is. . . ."

"The biofeedback therapist who was brought in to treat the SGC personnel," Hammond told him.

Fairview snorted. "A biofeedback therapist? What good would that do?"

Daniel focused a stare on him. "Well, if you read the report I gave to General Hammond, you'd know that there is a connection between the biofeedback and what I can do. It's because of the biofeedback that I learned of this."

"All right, we will all wait for the results of the tests that Doctor White will be performing," General Hammond said. "Until then, no other decisions will be made."

"General. . . ." Major Rice began to object.

Hammond fixed a glare upon him. "That is my final decision, Major."

The NID man paused a second, then, "Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

Daniel immediately got up from the table and escaped. Jack was right behind him, wondering how much worse this day was going to get.

* * *

Ah, the first kiss. *g* Now, remember what I said before, folks. This road to Daniel and Sam becoming a couple is going to be a very long and winding one, with a whole lot of potholes and barriers along the way.

Thanks for your reviews.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Daniel strode down the hall, not stopping until he'd reached the elevator. He punched the up button a bit harder than necessary.

"Hey. You okay?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. Just a little angry. I knew that things would probably go like that, but I still don't like it."

The two men went to Daniel's office. Jack put in a call to Sam and Teal'c, who showed up a few minutes later.

"So, how did it go?" Sam asked. Then she got a good look at Daniel's expression. "Not so good, huh?"

"Oh, it could have been worse," Daniel told her. "At least I'm not being shipped off to Area 51 yet."

"But he did demonstrate the aerodynamic properties of the conference table," Jack informed Sam and Teal'c. An icy glare from Daniel wiped the little smile off his face.

"I was not aware that conference tables were aerodynamically sound," the Jaffa intoned.

That remark managed to bring the slightest of smiles to Daniel's face. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. He gave a sigh and sat in his chair. "There were representatives from the Pentagon, NID and Area 51. As expected, the guy from NID wants me to undergo a bunch of tests. They're probably all going to watch the tests Eliza does this afternoon. Until then, everything's been put on hold."

"Would you like us to be there, too, Daniel?" Sam asked gently.

"It would be nice to have the support," Daniel admitted.

"Then you've got it," Jack said.

Daniel's teammates stayed with him the remainder of the morning. Though he wasn't at all hungry, they all insisted that he eat some lunch. They headed directly from the commissary to the infirmary.

Hammond, Morrison, Rice and Fairview were already in the observation room when SG-1 arrived. Janet was in the isolation room with Eliza. A brief introduction was made between the Jaffa and the therapist since they had never met before. Seeing Eliza's curiosity about Teal'c, Jack decided to have a little fun with her.

"He's an alien," he remarked in an off-hand manner.

Eliza blinked in surprise, her eyes widening a little.

"I . . . see," she said.

Amused by the look on her face, Jack glanced at Daniel. Seeing the nervous tension in the archeologist's body, the colonel's levity faded. He requested that he, Sam and Teal'c be allowed to remain in the room rather than going up to the observation room. Since it was okay with Daniel, Eliza and Janet agreed but made the three SG-1 team members move back well out of the way.

Eliza came up to Daniel, smiling gently. "All right, Daniel. I know that you're probably pretty nervous about this."

Daniel tried to return the smile but failed. "A bit."

"Well, try not to worry. Would you like to do some relaxation exercises first?"

"No, I'd rather get right to it."

"Okay."

Eliza hooked Daniel up to the biofeedback equipment so that all of his physiological responses could be measured, including heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, skin temperature and, of course, brainwaves.

"All right, I've set up some objects over there for you to use in the test," she said.

Daniel looked over at the table Eliza had indicated. On it sat an empty glass, a block of metal, a lantern and a piece of cloth sitting on a metal tray.

"Any time you're ready, Daniel," the therapist told him. "I want you to lift the block of metal off the table first."

Taking a few deep breaths, Daniel tried to calm himself. He focused his attention on the block and went through the procedure of slowing his brainwaves. He willed the metal block to lift off the table. It responded immediately.

"Can you bring it to me, Daniel?" Eliza asked.

With the archeologist's guidance, the block floated across the room and landed gently into the hand that Eliza held out.

"Perfect." The therapist recorded some notes, as did Janet. "Okay, next, please light the lantern." A couple of seconds later, the lantern's wick ignited. The two doctors jotted down some more things.

"How are you feeling, Daniel?" Janet asked.

"Okay."

"No headache or other discomfort?"

"No."

"That's good," Eliza said. "Do you think that you can break the glass?"

Daniel looked at the glass in question. Up till now, he had only moved objects. He'd never tried to crush or break something. Staring at the glass, he pictured it breaking and willed it to happen. Instantly, the glass shattered into a thousand pieces, bits of glass raining across the table and floor.

"Very good, Daniel. Okay, last test. I want you to ignite that piece of cloth." A moment later, it burst into flames.

Daniel let his brainwaves speed up to a normal beta frequency, glad that the tests were over.

Using a fire extinguisher, which Janet handed to him, Jack put out the burning cloth before the smoke detectors went off.

"Are you still okay?" the doctor asked Daniel.

"Yeah, I feel fine." He looked at Eliza. "So, what did you find out?"

"Well, your EEG did drop down to seven point zero hertz to start with, but it didn't stay there."

Daniel looked at her in surprise. "It didn't?"

"No. When you moved the metal block, the frequency remained at seven point zero, but each time you lit a fire there was a sharp, extreme spike in your EEG."

"What about when I broke the glass?"

"Another spike."

"So, what does that mean?"

"It leads me to believe that the seven point zero frequency is only needed for you to gain access to wherever it is that this power is coming from. For some things, like moving objects, that frequency remains the best one at which to operate, but for . . . more destructive actions, a much higher frequency is needed. Some biofeedback tests have shown that extremely high frequencies, from one hundred twenty to five hundred hertz, can tap into psychic abilities such as telekinesis and transmutation, which is the process of changing matter to another form."

"Your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration were also affected, Daniel," Janet told him. "All three dropped significantly as you lowered your EEG, but both your heart rate and blood pressure increased each time you did something, a small increase when you moved the metal block, a bigger increase when you lit the lantern. Breaking the glass made them go up even higher, and igniting the cloth resulted in the greatest increase, much more than anything else."

"And what does all _that_ mean?" Jack asked.

"It means that the more energy it takes to do something, the more stress it puts on Daniel's body."

"Why would igniting that piece of cloth take so much more energy?"

"Because it wasn't as flammable," Sam replied, realizing the answer.

Eliza nodded. "We treated the cloth with a flame retardant."

"Okay, now I don't pretend to be any kind of scientist, but flame retardant means that it won't burn easily if exposed to fire, right?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Sam confirmed.

"But it wasn't even exposed to a fire, so how did it catch fire?"

An expression of realization spread over Sam's face. "He's right. I can't believe I didn't think of this before. A fire isn't going to light spontaneously. You have to have an external stimulus, some kind of catalyst. There are three components needed for ignition and combustion to occur: oxygen, fuel to feed the fire, and a heat source to bring the fuel up to ignition temperature. Now, normally, to light the wick of that lantern, you would expose it to an already lit flame. But there was no flame, which means that it was ignited in another way." Sam walked over to the lantern. "You see, everything has a flashpoint, a temperature at which it will burst into flames. My guess is that Daniel somehow superheated the air around the wick, bringing it to the wick's flashpoint." She walked over to the burned cloth. She removed it from the tray and examined the tray carefully. "With the exception of the scorch marks from the fire, this tray shows no signs of having been exposed to extreme heat, so, if Daniel did superheat the air, he made it just hot enough to ignite the cloth but not so hot that it melted the metal of the tray. But then there's the question of how Daniel made those fireballs. I would really love to do some tests, set up some sensors to find out exactly what's happening when Daniel causes something to ignite."

Suddenly realizing what she was saying, Sam looked at the archeologist. "I'm so sorry, Daniel. I didn't mean to make you feel like a science experiment."

Daniel gave her a smile. "That's okay, Sam. I understand." And he did. Sam was just being herself, getting excited by the science of the whole thing. He certainly couldn't blame her for that. If this wasn't something so personal, he'd be very curious about the science of it, too.

"All right, I think that's enough for now," General Hammond said. Startled, everyone in the isolation room looked up at him. They'd almost forgotten about the people who were up in the observation room. Jack studied the expressions on the faces of the three visitors. Colonel Morrison was looking at Daniel with keen interest mixed with a big dose of uneasiness. Doctor Fairview's face was filled with the gleam of excitement. As for Major Rice, there was no doubt of what he was thinking. He wanted control of Daniel and the power Daniel possessed, and he was going to try his level best to get his hands on them. Of the three men, Jack guessed that Rice would cause the biggest problem.

"Doctor Jackson, please meet us in the briefing room in half an hour," Hammond said.

"Yes, sir."

The four men in the observation room left. Daniel turned to his teammates and the two doctors. "Anyone want to take bets on who's going to argue the loudest on which department I should be turned over to?"

"No need to bet. I already know," Jack replied. "It'll be me and General Hammond, arguing that you're going to stay right here at the SGC."

"And I will back that up," Janet said. "These tests indicate that using those abilities does cause a physiological reaction in your body. Now, the reactions I just witnessed were not in any way dangerous, but it is possible that a more extreme use of your abilities would cause a strain great enough to put you at risk. Without a lot more extensive testing, I could not allow you to be put in a situation where you would be asked to use your abilities on a regular basis or in an extreme manner."

"Well, then, Doc, I'd say that you'd better come along with me and Daniel when we go beard the lion."

"There is one more thing," Eliza said. "I am almost positive that Daniel's ascension played some part in this. I am not an expert in psychic phenomena, but, from what I know, human beings who display abilities such as telekinesis are not able to harness it so reliably. It is very hit and miss. Sometimes, they can manage to bend a spoon, other times they can't, and it generally takes a great deal of time and concentration to do something. Daniel appears to have complete mastery of what he can do and is able to do it quickly and easily."

"So, if it was Daniel's ascension that enabled him to do these things, then there probably wouldn't be any way that we'd have the science to recreate it in others," Sam concluded.

"I doubt that would keep the NID and Area 51 from trying," Jack responded.

* * *

Hammond, Morrison, Rice and Fairview were already in the briefing room when Daniel, Jack and Janet arrived, and by the look on everyone's faces, the conversation that had been going on had not been a pleasant one. The general in particular looked angry.

"That was a rather impressive show you put on, Doctor Jackson," Colonel Morrison said.

"Yes, it was," Rice agreed, "though I was hoping for something a bit more spectacular."

"So sorry to disappoint you," Daniel responded with his usual mild sarcasm.

Rice gave him a smile that made Daniel think of a shark. "Not at all, Doctor. I'm sure that we'll get the chance to see a bigger and better demonstration soon enough."

"And what demonstration might that be?" Jack asked.

"As I was just telling General Hammond, it would be in the best interests of Earth for Doctor Jackson to undergo an extensive series of tests and examinations to see what the limitations of his abilities are and to find out how they work. It would make the most sense for the NID to be in charge of those tests and that they be conducted at Area 51."

"And as _I_ was saying, the DOD should be in charge of it since Doctor Jackson will most likely be transferred to that department so that his skills can be used in the defense of this country," Morrison stated emphatically.

"Pardon me, Colonel, but the DOD couldn't possibly make full use of Doctor Jackson's unique and valuable talents," Rice shot back.

"Gentlemen, I don't care which of you can better use Doctor Jackson's abilities," Janet stated firmly. "I cannot and will not allow the kind of testing that you're talking about. From what I saw, it is possible that, if Daniel uses his abilities too frequently or in too extreme a manner, it could harm him physically."

"Let us worry about that, Doctor Fraiser," Rice said. "We'll take all necessary precautions to keep Doctor Jackson in good health."

"Yeah, right," Jack said, "I believe that about as much as I believe that there's a human heart in that chest cavity of yours."

Rice ignored Jack's remark and continued insisting that Daniel should be transferred to Area 51, while Morrison kept pushing for Daniel to be turned over to the DOD. At the same time, Jack and Hammond were stating that he should remain at the SGC, while Janet was interjecting her opinion, mentioning what Eliza White had said.

And so the arguing went on. At the center of it all, Daniel sat in silence. Nobody noticed that he was not participating in the discussion, though they really should have. They also didn't notice when, after a few minutes, he closed his eyes and grew still. What happened next did capture their attention, however. The conversation came to an abrupt halt when a small fireball around two feet in diameter suddenly burst to life in the air above their heads. It hung there in the air, seemingly defying the laws of physics, for several seconds before dissipating.

Everyone's eyes went to the man who had created the fire.

"My apologies, General," Daniel said. He looked at the three men who sat across from him. "Now that I have your attention, I have one word to say. I said it at the last meeting, but I guess you just weren't listening. No. No, I will not submit to any of your tests. No, I will not accept a transfer to the DOD, the NID or any other department. No, I will not allow myself to be treated like a lab rat, and I will not let my fate be decided for me!"

He took a deep breath. "For six and a half years I have lived and _died_ fighting to protect the people of Earth and other worlds against the things that are out there." He pointed toward the ceiling. "My teammates and I have saved this entire planet more than once and have provided Earth with technology centuries ahead of our time, technology that will continue to protect us in the years ahead. We've found medicines that may one day cure illnesses and save still more lives. We have forged alliances with the most powerful allies that any country on Earth has ever known. And we have done all those things from right here, at the SGC. So, don't tell me that my abilities would be of better use working for the DOD or the NID or anywhere else. They belong right here, with the SGC and with SG-1."

"Hear! Hear!" Jack said loudly, almost clapping.

"Doctor Jackson, you remaining on SG-1 is not an option," Morrison stated emphatically. "As you have said, you have died doing your job, more than once, if I remember your file correctly. The level of danger working on an SG team is too high. You could very easily be killed and all your skills lost. That is not acceptable. And then there is the danger that you could be captured, taken as a host and your abilities used against us. You are a valuable asset to this country that must be protected, Doctor Jackson, and remaining here on Earth, in a protected environment, is the best way to assure that."

"A protected environment?" Jack repeated. "What you mean is a damn prison."

"He would be given every comfort and convenience."

"Except my freedom," Daniel said. "This is the same thing you people were going to do with the Tollans when they were brought here. No matter how attractive you make it look it would still be a prison. A gilded cage, regardless of how pretty, is still a cage. _That_ is not acceptable."

"You have no alternative, Doctor Jackson," Morrison insisted.

Daniel stared at the man coldly. "Now, that's where you're wrong, Colonel." He rose to his feet. "I've already given you my answer on this. You three can continue arguing all you like. It's not going to do you any good." Daniel turned to Hammond. "If you will excuse me, General, I have work to get back to." Not waiting to be dismissed, he walked out of the room.

* * *

A knock on his door jarred Daniel from his thoughts, which were not on the document that he'd been trying to translate for the past hour. The door opened to reveal General Hammond.

"General?" Daniel questioned, surprised that the man had come there instead of calling Daniel to his office. The archeologist began to stand.

"Don't get up, Doctor Jackson," Hammond said. He came further into the room, shutting the door behind him. "I owe you an apology, Son. What took place in the briefing room never should have happened. Colonel Morrison and Major Rice showed an appalling lack of consideration for you. They both clearly forgot that it is your life and that you have some say in deciding your own future. I told them and Doctor Fairview that I would be speaking directly to the president about this and that my recommendations to him would be that you remain with the SGC and in your position on SG-1. I just got off the phone doing that very thing."

"And?"

"And the president wishes to speak with you personally. He has a great many questions and concerns."

Daniel nodded. "When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow morning. There will be a special military transport waiting for you at eight. You are scheduled to meet the president at 1:30. Colonel O'Neill has already requested that he be allowed to go with you, and I have agreed."

Daniel got up and wandered over to the bookshelf that held his field journals. "What do you think the president will say, General?" he asked, looking at the books that were a written record of his life since joining the program.

"I can't say, Doctor Jackson, but I do know that he is a fair man who knows how important you are to the SGC and who has great respect for you and everything you've done for this planet." General Hammond walked up to the younger man. "Doctor Jackson . . . Daniel." He waited for the archeologist to look at him. "I want you to know that, whatever you choose to do, whatever decisions you feel that you have to make, I will support you in any way that I can."

Daniel searched the eyes of the man he had come to respect deeply and think of as a friend. "Thank you, sir."

After the general had gone, Daniel returned to his chair, but he did not return to work. It wasn't long before Jack showed up.

"Did Hammond talk to you?" the colonel asked.

"Yes. I guess we're going to be taking a little trip."

"Uh huh. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll be serving those cute little sandwiches for lunch at the White House."

Daniel frowned. "Lunch? My appointment with the president isn't until 1:30."

Jack started to fidget. "Um . . . yeah. Well, you see, we're going directly from the airport to the White House."

"Why?" Daniel watched the way that his friend was acting, and, all at once, he knew the answer. "They don't want me wandering free around DC, do they. Why? Are they afraid I'll do something or that something will happen to me?" When Jack didn't answer, Daniel added, "Or maybe both?"

"They just want to take precautions, Daniel, that's all. You're a . . . valuable natural resource. Not that you weren't before. You and Carter should both have been listed as national treasures years ago."

"But, now, I'm even more valuable, huh. So valuable that everyone wants to lock me up in a vault somewhere."

"Give it time, Daniel," Jack said. "Everyone's just acting like the owners of a brand new car that they want to keep safe."

"So . . . what? Once I get a scratch or ding they'll stop locking me up in the garage every night and won't worry anymore about putting the rain cover on or taking up two spaces at the grocery store?"

Jack scrubbed a hand through his hair and sat down. "I don't like this any better than you do, Daniel. If I'd had any idea this was going to happen, I would have kept what you did on that planet a secret. Nobody would have had to know about what you can do except the four of us."

Daniel let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I know that you, Sam and Teal'c don't like this either. Thanks for coming with me tomorrow."

"Hey, think nothing of it. I just love visiting the White House. Last time, I even got to meet the First Lady."

"I'm going to need some clothes from my place. I don't have a suit here. I assume they're not going to let me off base even to do that."

"Um, no. Sorry. I can get whatever you need, Daniel. Just make me a list."

"Are we staying overnight or heading back right away?"

"We'll be flying back after the appointment."

Daniel jotted down a few things and gave the list to Jack. He watched his friend leave, wondering if he would ever be allowed to go home again.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Daniel tried to get back to work but gave up after a few minutes. Making a sudden decision, he headed to the elevator. Whether it was an oversight on the part of General Hammond or a deliberate omission, Daniel was able to leave the base via the door at the top of the mountain without anyone stopping him. He found a hidden spot and took a seat on a tree stump.

Daniel gazed up into the trees, listening to the sounds of the birds. A high-pitched cry attracted his attention, and he looked up to see an eagle soaring above. Daniel envied its freedom.

"Did you know this was going to happen, Oma?" Daniel asked the air. "When you made me human again, did you have any idea that I'd no longer be . . . normal?"

The minutes passed by slowly as Daniel sat in silence, wishing that he could just go away somewhere and forget everything.

Daniel had no idea how long he'd been sitting there when he suddenly realized that the sun was several inches closer to the horizon. At that same moment, he got the feeling that he was no longer alone. He waited for the person to approach. When, after a few seconds, no one appeared, he said, "I'm not going to knock your head off, you know."

Teal'c came into view. "Why would I believe that you would remove my head, Daniel Jackson?"

"Uh . . . no reason. So, did Jack send you out looking for me?"

"He did not. When we were unable to find you, O'Neill questioned those on guard duty and learned of your location. He, Major Carter and I then decided which of us would come to speak with you."

"Did you draw straws?"

"No straws were used. I volunteered to speak with you since I, more than O'Neill and Major Carter, understand your feelings in this matter."

"Yeah, I guess you do, don't you. In a way, you've been a prisoner ever since you came to Earth. You haven't been allowed to get a place off-base, and during the first couple of years or so, you weren't allowed to leave the base unless at least one of us was with you." Daniel looked up at him. "How did that make you feel, Teal'c?"

"I understood the reason why my freedom was restricted. In the beginning, it was a matter of trust and because of the Goa'uld I carried. Later, trust was no longer an issue, but the Goa'uld was still within me. Though it is no more, I still bear the mark of its former presence. The scar of my larval pouch is fading, and, in time, it will be completely gone. Then it may be that I will no longer have to live on the base."

Daniel rose to his feet. "Do you think my government has a good reason to take away my freedom?"

"No. The ones who do this are like a mother who holds her child too tightly in her arms for fear that he will fall if she allows him to walk. You have managed to survive many things, escaped from dangers that most people of this world could never imagine, yet, now, they suddenly feel that you are in grave danger if you are not within their reach at all times. Such a belief is illogical since, because of this power you now possess, you are even more capable of defending yourself from threats than you were in the past."

"Good point. Maybe I'll use that one on the president."

"O'Neill has told me that, if your government forces you to leave the SGC, you intend to join the Tok'ra."

"Well, I'm not sure about that. I don't know how it would work out. We have a formal alliance with them, so, if I joined the Tok'ra, my government might insist that they give me back, and the Tok'ra would probably do it to avoid trouble."

"What will you do, then?"

"I really don't know, Teal'c. There are other planets that I could go to, but I'm not willing to just hide somewhere. Somehow, I'd have to figure out a way that I could keep fighting the Goa'uld or at least do _something_ to help others. That's the main reason why I'd leave, so that I could keep doing what I have been."

There was silence for several seconds, then Teal'c said, "If you intend to continue in your fight against the Goa'uld, then I will join you."

Shocked, Daniel turned around to stare at him. "What? Teal'c, what are you saying? You'd leave the SGC and come with me?"

"The fight against the Goa'uld and the liberation of my people are the reasons for my continued presence in the SGC. You have knowledge and abilities that are a great asset in those endeavors, and I do not want to see them lost. Together, we could be a formidable force. Also, you are my friend, and I could not allow you to fight alone."

"Wow. I, uh . . . I don't know what to say."

"There is no need for you to say anything, Daniel Jackson."

"Thank you, Teal'c. That means a lot to me."

The Jaffa inclined his head. "Perhaps we should return to the base. O'Neill was showing impatience at your lengthy stay out here."

The human and the Jaffa headed back down into the bowels of the mountain. Jack and Sam were both in Daniel's office when he and Teal'c got there. The two Air Force officers studied Daniel's face closely, their concern plain to see.

"Daniel?" Sam inquired worriedly.

"I'm all right, Sam, just . . . frustrated."

"Frustrated?" Jack repeated. "If I were you, I'd want to break something."

"Well, yeah, that too, but I don't think that breaking things would help much, Jack."

"Oh, I don't know about that. Personally, breaking Morrison's and Rice's faces would make _me_ feel really good right about now. Are you sure you couldn't do something like make the elevator suffer a catastrophic failure while they're on it?"

Daniel gave the older man a look. "Why don't we just go with spontaneous human combustion? Easier to clean up and less damage to repair."

"Hey, works for me."

They all fell silent, wishing there was a way to make the two men disappear, preferably one that didn't involve death or serious bodily injury.

"Sir, is there any way that the general would give me and Teal'c permission to go with you to the White House?" Sam finally asked.

Jack shook his head. "I already asked. He said that he didn't want the president to feel too pressured, which he believes would happen if all of us went to state our case."

"Then what if we just came with you on the flight? Teal'c and I could wander around D.C. for a few hours."

Jack stared at his second in command, hearing the plea in her voice. He didn't know why, but it was pretty clear that Sam really wanted to go with them.

"Well, how about if we go ask him, Major?" he said.

A couple of minutes later, Jack and Sam were on their way to Hammond's office. The moment they were on the elevator, which was empty except for them, the colonel turned to the major.

"Okay, Carter. Wanna tell me what's up?"

"Up, sir?" Sam responded innocently.

"Why are you so keen on going with Daniel and me to D.C.?"

"I . . . just thought that Daniel might need the moral support, sir."

Jack peered at her. "You, know, Carter, lying to a superior officer is a court-martial offense."

Sam didn't respond for a couple of seconds, then she let out a sigh. "I hate feeling helpless, sir. I always have. In this job, there have been several times when I've felt that way. The worst time was when Daniel was dying of radiation poisoning, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Now, I'm feeling that way again." Sam turned to Jack. "This shouldn't be happening, Colonel. What Daniel can do is incredible. It should be a blessing, something that could really help us out there. But, instead, it's turning out to be a curse, one that might take Daniel away from us again." Sam's hands clenched into fists. "Dammit! I am just so angry!"

"I am, too, Carter. You have no idea how angry. But I'm not ready to give up yet."

"Me neither, sir. I just wish that we really could go back in time and change everything."

"Well, Major, if you figure out a way to predict solar flares, I'll be the first to jump through the gate."

Hammond gave permission for Sam and Teal'c to accompany Daniel and Jack on the flight, but he made it clear that they were not to go all the way to the White House. Though Sam wished that she could be there with Daniel to express her thoughts to the president, she was happy that she could at least be there with him on the flight over. Sam had a terrible feeling that their time with Daniel was running short, and she wanted to spend every minute she could in his company. And, if worse came to worst, if the president went along with the wishes of either Colonel Morrison or Major Rice, then it would be up to all of them, all of SG-1, to decide how they were going to help Daniel stay out of the clutches of the NID and DOD.

The next morning, SG-1 was on their way. The "special military transport" turned out to be a fully equipped Lear jet with, as Jack put it, all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, none of them were in the mood to appreciate the accouterments.

At the airport, Daniel and Jack got in the limo that was waiting for them. Jack would be giving Sam a call as soon as the meeting with the president was over and they were on their way back to the airport.

Lunch at the White House was delicious, though Daniel barely tasted the food he put in his mouth. They were alone in the dining room, the president having been unable to join them. The lack of Secret Service agents in the room led Daniel to believe that no one had told them what he was capable of doing. If they'd known, they would probably be watching him like a hawk. Not so very many years ago, nobody would have considered him a dangerous man by any stretch of the imagination. Now, armed men who were highly trained to protect the President of the United States would likely consider him to be an extreme threat, if they knew the truth about him.

At 1:30 on the dot, Jack and Daniel were taken to the president. The man greeted them both with a smile.

"Colonel O'Neill, good to see you again," he said, shaking Jack's hand.

"Likewise, sir."

The president held out his hand to Daniel, who took it. "Doctor Jackson, it's also a pleasure to see you again. I never did thank you face to face for the great job you did on the Earth/Tok'ra alliance treaty. This country owes a great deal to you, not only for that but for many other things as well."

"Thank you, sir," Daniel responded, hoping the president's attitude was a good sign.

"All right. Shall we get down to business?" The president sat behind his desk and indicated that Daniel and Jack should sit as well. He picked up a file folder. "Doctor Jackson, I've been reading the reports from you, your teammates, General Hammond, and those I got from Colonel Morrison and Major Rice, and I have to say that I am amazed. Hell, I'm downright astounded! I pride myself on being an open-minded man, but when I first heard about this, I thought that someone was pulling my leg. Of course, with all the unbelievable things that have happened since the Stargate was first opened, I guess I really shouldn't have been all that surprised, but it isn't every day that a human born right here on Earth suddenly develops paranormal abilities at the level that these reports are telling me." The man studied Daniel closely. "But then, it also isn't every day that an Earthborn human transforms into to a higher form of life." He smiled. "You've had a rather busy last couple of years, haven't you."

"Yes, sir, I have," Daniel agreed, thinking that there couldn't be a much bigger understatement than that.

The president grew serious. He looked back down at the reports. "It seems that both the DOD and the NID want you pretty badly." He met Daniel's eyes. "General Hammond has told me that you flatly refused to have anything to do with either one of them."

"That's right, sir."

"Would you like to tell me in your own words why?"

Daniel paused a moment to gather his thoughts. "Both the NID and the DOD want the same thing, Mister President. They want to study me to figure out how I can do these things, and then they want to use me as a weapon. If you know anything about me, then you know that I'm someone who always looks for the peaceful solution to situations. And you also know that I'm someone who strongly believes in the rights of individuals to live as they want to as long as it doesn't cause pain and suffering to others. The NID and the DOD would take away my freedom and try to force me to do things that are against my principles."

The president stroked his jaw. "Both Colonel Morrison and Major Rice believe that you could be of tremendous help to the country if you were working for them."

"Pardon me, sir, but I thought that I already _was_ helping the country, helping the whole planet, by being with the SGC and on SG-1."

The president nodded. "Yes, you have, Doctor Jackson. No one has helped this planet more than you and your teammates. However, the colonel and the major have both made a couple of very good points."

"Which are?" Jack asked.

"First of all, being on an SG team is an extremely dangerous job, very likely the most dangerous job on Earth. A great many SG team members have died on missions." The president looked back and forth between Jack and Daniel. "Both of you have died more than once on missions or as a result of one. And death is only one danger. There is also the danger of being captured and compromised by the enemy." His attention focused solely on the archeologist. "You now possess abilities that are unique and very, very valuable, Doctor Jackson, and I am loath to allow them to be placed in constant peril by letting you continue in your position on SG-1. On top of that, the danger of you being taken by the Goa'uld and your abilities then used against us is a threat that I don't know if I can accept. At the same time, I'd hate to see those abilities go to waste by having you tucked safely away in Cheyenne Mountain as only a consultant. Both Colonel Morrison and Major Rice have assured me that they would use your abilities in ways that would keep you relatively safe."

"Excuse me, sir, but Morrison and Rice don't give a damn about Daniel," Jack stated. "Oh, I have no doubt that, physically, they'd keep him as safe as they could since they wouldn't want to lose his talents, but they don't care what they might do to him mentally and emotionally. They wouldn't care if Daniel's life became unbearable for him."

"Do you have any proof to back that up, Colonel?"

"No, sir, but I saw how they acted when they came to the SGC. And I know the type. I've met plenty of their kind during my years in the military."

The president turned back to Daniel. "Doctor Jackson, given the choice between working for the SGC as only a consultant, where your new abilities would be of little help to the planet, and working for the NID or the DOD in a position that would allow you to use your abilities to give aid to this country or perhaps even the whole planet, wouldn't you rather choose the latter?"

Choosing his word carefully, Daniel replied, "When I was ascended, I had incredible power, power that could have been used to do so much good out there, power to help defeat the Goa'uld and free every human being in the galaxy. But I wasn't allowed to do a damn thing. My hands were tied by the rules of a race that either doesn't understand or doesn't care about the threat that the Goa'uld and creatures like them pose to humankind. When I was returned to human form and remembered what it was like to live like that, it showed me how worthless power is if you don't use it for the good of others. And it showed me something else, that what I did for the SGC and on SG-1 was important, that it was there I belonged." Daniel stared into the president's eyes. "But my experience taught me something else as well, that the worth of a person cannot be weighed by their successes or failures, but by the goodness or evil of their intentions. I have a pretty good idea what both the NID and the DOD would want to use my abilities for, Mister President, and I'm not willing to do those kinds of things."

Daniel leaned forward in his chair. "I belong out there, sir, helping to protect Earth against the Goa'uld, and the Replicators, and other dangers we haven't even discovered yet. But if I'm not going to be allowed to do that anymore, then I'd rather spend the next twenty years working on base at the SGC and doing whatever I could to help from there than to work for the NID or the DOD doing things that violate my principles and my worth as a human being."

There was a long moment of silence after Daniel's statement. Jack couldn't think of another thing to add. The question was, would the president appreciate what the archeologist was saying?

At last, the president spoke. "I understand your point of view, Doctor Jackson, and I admire your convictions. There is something I'd like to know, however. If I was to order your transfer to the NID or the DOD, what would you do?"

Daniel didn't hesitate to reply. "Respectfully, sir, I'd refuse and immediately submit my resignation from all government employment. Though the NID or the DOD might still take me, I think they'd find it more than a little difficult to gain my cooperation."

The firmness in Daniel's voice made the president look at him intently. Daniel knew that the man understood what he was saying, that the NID and/or DOD would have a fight on their hands.

A tiny smile curved the president's lips. "I admire your honesty, Doctor. I always like to know where things stand." He fell silent for several seconds, then said, "Normally, I'd take some time to make a decision on this important an issue, but, since you've made your position so clear, I won't draw things out. I will not force you to work for the NID or the DOD, Doctor Jackson. This is a free country, and its citizens have rights that, even as president, I do not have the right to take away. However, I'm afraid that I cannot let you remain on SG-1. The danger is too great. If you choose to continue working for the SGC, it will be as a consultant only. You will no longer be allowed to travel through the Stargate. Perhaps we can figure out a way to make use of your unusual talents even with those limitations."

"Sir, I ask that you please reconsider," Jack said, clearly upset. "With these abilities Daniel now has, he's very capable of protecting himself, more so than any other person in the program. He can put up one hell of a fight. It wouldn't be easy for any Goa'uld to grab him, and I'm betting that his ability to miraculously survive life and death situations will be even better than it was before. And you must know how badly we could use him out there."

The president shook his head. "I'm sorry, Colonel, but my decision is final."

Though Daniel had been preparing himself for this decision, it still hit him hard. He would never go through the Stargate again. From now on, Jack, Sam and Teal'c would go without him.

Trying to keep control of his emotions, Daniel asked, "Will I be allowed to continue living off-base or am I going to be restricted to the base from now on?"

"I'm certainly not going to make you a prisoner, Doctor Jackson. As Colonel O'Neill pointed out, you are uniquely qualified to protect yourself. However, I would suggest that you move to someplace that has a good level of security, just to be on the safe side."

Daniel nodded shortly and stood. "If that's all, Mister President, I'd like to get back to Colorado."

"Of course." The man looked at him with a kindly expression. "I am sorry, Doctor Jackson. I understand how upset you must be, but I feel that this is the decision I must make."

With another nod, Daniel turned away and headed for the door. He heard Jack get up and follow him. They exited the White House and got into the limo that would take them back to the airport, their hearts heavy at the thought that Daniel would never again be setting foot through the Stargate.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

Jack called Sam to let her know that they were on their way. He then turned to his best friend.

"Daniel. . . ."

"Don't, Jack. There's really nothing you can say that I don't already know. I knew it might turn out this way. We just have to accept it."

"Daniel, don't give up. Yeah, okay, so the president has taken you off SG-1 for now, but there's a pretty good chance that things are going to happen that will show him how much we really need you out there."

Daniel looked at his friend. "Jack, you managed without me for a year. You can do so again."

"But, back then, we weren't fighting against Goa'uld supersoldiers that can't be killed by anything we've thrown at them. During most of that year, we also weren't dealing with a half-ascended Goa'uld with Ancient knowledge who stands a good chance of taking over the entire galaxy, and we weren't looking for a lost city that could save the entire human race on Earth from extinction, a city that you may be the only person in the whole galaxy who can find!"

Having nothing to say, Daniel turned his gaze to the view out the side window.

"The president is making a huge mistake, and he will figure that out," Jack continued. Receiving no reply from the archeologist, he fell silent.

It wasn't hard for Sam and Teal'c to tell that things didn't go well when they saw their teammates. Jack and Daniel waited until they were on the plane before telling them what the president's decision was.

An ache growing in her chest, Sam looked at Daniel. His eyes were downcast, focused on the floor.

"This is so wrong," she said. "I can't believe that the president doesn't realize how big a mistake he's making."

"Well, thanks to Morrison and Rice, he's so worried about what _might_ happen to Daniel that he's not looking at the big picture, namely, what very likely _will_ happen because Daniel's not out there with us," Jack stated angrily.

"Is there any chance at all that he'll change his mind, sir?"

"Maybe, if it becomes obvious that we need Daniel out there with us. Heck, the first time we run across some language on a mission that nobody else can translate, and we get into trouble because of it, it might make him start to think twice. Then there's Daniel's unnerving ability to talk to people and other various creatures and get them to play nice. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't been there to handle that situation with the Unas."

"So, I guess we just have to be patient," Sam concluded sadly, hoping that the colonel was right.

Jack had a thought. "There is another possibility as well. We'll be getting a new president in a few months. Maybe he'll see the wisdom of Daniel being put back on SG-1."

"That's a long time to wait, sir. A lot could happen in those months."

Daniel lifted his head and met Teal'c's eyes. A silent message passed between them. Daniel knew that he couldn't just wait and hope for the off chance that the president would change his mind or that the new president would reverse this one's decision. The longer he delayed, the lower his chances would be that he'd be able to do what he now knew he must. He had to leave Earth. Once he was through the gate, he could continue fighting against the Goa'uld. Alone, he probably wouldn't have much of a chance, but with Teal'c at his side, they just might be able to survive and accomplish something, especially since, with Teal'c as his companion, they could get help from Master Bra'tac and the other rebel Jaffa. Perhaps even the Tok'ra might help them occasionally once Daniel made it clear that there was no way they'd get him back to Earth. He felt sure that Jacob would respect his decision.

Daniel knew something else as well. They couldn't tell Jack and Sam what they were going to do. If the two Air Force officers aided in the escape, they could be court-martialed. No, this would have to be done without their knowledge and help. Daniel knew that both Jack and Sam would be furious when they found out what Daniel and Teal'c had done behind their backs, but there was no other choice.

Daniel really thought about what he was going to do. If, before gaining these abilities, he'd been taken off the team, he would have been upset about it, but he'd have accepted the decision and done his best to help as much as possible in his position as just a consultant. But everything was different now. These new abilities would give him the power to do so much more, to help in ways that he never could before. Being just a consultant would be tantamount to throwing those abilities away and turning his back on what they could achieve.

The flight back to Colorado Springs seemed twice as long as the trip to DC had been. Nobody was in the mood for conversation, and the cabin of the sleek jet was heavy with silence most of the way.

As soon as they got back to the SGC, Hammond called them into his office. The news they gave him saddened him. Though he was glad that the president had chosen not to transfer Daniel to the NID or DOD, he was very sorry that the archeologist was no longer going to be on SG-1. Jack made no secret of the fact that he strongly disagreed with the president's decision, and, though he didn't say so aloud, Hammond had to agree with the colonel. Daniel's talents on SG-1 were invaluable, and he wasn't just thinking of the man's new abilities. The linguist's many other skills and his vast storehouse of knowledge had proven to be a great asset time and time again. They had saved lives and salvaged missions more than once. But the president had spoken, and they were all duty-bound to obey. That, however, didn't mean that he couldn't talk to the president one last time and attempt to change the man's mind. That he _did_ tell SG-1.

After being dismissed, Daniel and his now former teammates went to his office.

"So, what now?" Sam asked.

"Now, we wait to see if Hammond can change the president's mind," Jack replied.

"And if he can't, then that's it, isn't it. Daniel's off the team."

Nobody responded to her statement.

It was an hour and a half later that Hammond let SG-1 know that he was unsuccessful in changing the president's mind. He told them that he would not make any formal announcements until the morning. Surprisingly, no one on base had found out about Daniel's paranormal abilities yet, though rumors were flying regarding the meeting with Morrison, Rice and Fairview and the flight to DC. Daniel was grateful for the failure of the base grapevine. It would make everything easier.

Daniel asked his teammates to leave him alone for a while. Respecting his wishes, they left. Before Teal'c headed out the door, Daniel caught his eyes. The Jaffa understood the unspoken message.

"I will be in my quarters performing Kel'no'reem, if anyone should wish to speak with me," he said. Then he left with Jack and Sam. As he had stated, he went to his room and made preparations for Kel'no'reem. He was lighting the last candle when Daniel arrived.

"You wished to speak with me in private, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, not phrasing it as a question.

"Yeah. Teal'c, I can't stay here as just a consultant. There was a time when I could have done so, but not anymore, not when I know that I can do more if I leave the SGC and go through the Stargate."

"Then I will go with you, as I have said."

Daniel searched the Jaffa's eyes. "Are you sure, Teal'c? Once we leave, there's a good chance that we'll never be able to come back."

"I am certain."

The archeologist gave him a smile that held no humor, only gratitude. "It will be good to have you with me."

"Will we be informing O'Neill and Major Carter of our departure?"

"No. If anyone thinks that they had a part in this, they could be court-martialed. It's better that they don't know. Then they won't get into trouble."

The Jaffa gave a nod of agreement. "When are we to leave?"

"Tonight. I figure that after midnight would be best. There's less activity around here."

"We will need weapons."

"Yes. I can get us into the armory, but we'll need to move fast after that."

"What of the Stargate?"

"Well, the second I start the dialing sequence, somebody's probably going to hear it. I've got the correct authorization code, so the alarm won't go off, but it's not exactly quiet when it dials up. And then there are the guards in the gate room and the people in the control room to deal with. That time of night, there will be only two people on duty in the control room, so that won't be a problem. The guards are another issue. I may have no choice but to use my abilities."

"What if someone comes and stops the dialing sequence?"

"Then I'll find out if I can dial it manually."

"Very well. I will come to your office at 0100."

Daniel nodded and left. He returned to his office and sat at his desk. There was something he needed to do, but he didn't know how he was going to do it. He had to say goodbye to Jack and Sam. Years ago, in the dream that Sha're sent him, he was able to bid his friends farewell with only a little sorrow, the pain of losing Sha're overshadowing everything else. When, two and a half years later, he again said goodbye to Jack before beginning his life as an ascended being, it hurt a lot, but the distance that had grown between them made it easier than it would have been otherwise. He never had the chance to say goodbye to Sam and Teal'c on that occasion. But, now. . . . These months that he'd spent with his team since returning to human form had been great. Things hadn't been all smooth sailing between them, but he had felt closer to them than he had in that last year or so before he ascended. This time, having to say goodbye was going to hurt so much more. Perhaps it was just as well that he wasn't going to be doing it face to face.

Picking up a pencil and a large notepad, Daniel got busy writing what might be the last words he would say to the people who had become two of the closest friends he'd ever had.

* * *

Daniel and Teal'c approached the monitoring station. To be sure that no one would see what they were doing and give the alarm, the two men knew that they had to incapacitate the person who was on duty watching the monitors.

It was Teal'c who went into the room.

"Good evening, Sergeant Miller," he greeted the man in the chair.

"Hello, Teal'c. I wouldn't call it evening anymore. It's after 0100. What are you doing wandering around at this time of night?"

"I must ask for your forgiveness."

"Huh? What on Earth for?"

In answer, Teal'c grabbed the man by the neck and quickly rendered him unconscious without harming him. He and Daniel tied Miller to his chair with duct tape, not wanting to take the chance that the guy would regain consciousness too soon.

The first step in their plan accomplished, Daniel and Teal'c headed for the main armory, which was on the same level as the Stargate. As always, there was a guard on duty. This time, it was Daniel who approached. He saw that it was Captain Gary Hopkins, with whom he had a casual friendship.

"Hey, Gary. How's it going?" he asked.

"Oh, all right, Doctor J. Another late night for you?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so. Uh, I really hate to do this, Gary, but. . . ." Daniel's sentence was finished with a hard blow to the man's jaw. The captain went down and lay still, which surprised Daniel. He was expecting more of a fight. After tying the guard up, Daniel and Teal'c raided the armory. The archeologist grabbed a sidearm, a zat, a P-90 and as much ammo as he could stuff into his pockets and backpack. The Jaffa took the same things, as well as his staff weapon. In addition, they took some grenades, both the standard kind and a couple of the Goa'uld shock grenades that the SGC had managed to get their hands on. Completing their armament were two combat knives and their vests.

Now would come the tricky part. Making sure that nobody was around, Daniel and Teal'c snuck into the control room. As Daniel had said, only two men were on duty. They stared at the linguist and the Jaffa, seeing that the two SG-1 team members appeared to be outfitted for a mission.

"Doctor Jackson? Teal'c? What's going on?" one of the men asked in confusion. "There are no missions on the schedule."

"Yeah. Um, this is sort of an unofficial mission," Daniel told them. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to move away from the dialing computer."

The two men exchanged glances.

"What? What's this all about?" the second man asked.

"We don't have time to explain. Please move away from the computers, and please don't try to set off the alarm."

Realizing that this was not a joke, the two men wisely moved away from the computers, not willing to go up against two members of the SG team that had become legendary in the SGC. Apologizing again, Daniel tied one of the men up while Teal'c did likewise with the other one. Daniel then started the dialing sequence. He and Teal'c hurried down to the gate room, the blast doors closing after them.

"Doctor Jackson, Teal'c. What's happening?" asked one of the men on guard duty in the gate room.

"I'm really sorry we have to do this, but. . . ."

Daniel's words were followed by zat blasts from him and Teal'c. Taken by surprise, most of the men went down before they even managed to lift their weapons. Two did, however, and Daniel was forced to use his abilities to pull the guns out of their grasp. A second later, the last two guards fell, having been zatted by Teal'c.

The silence that followed was broken by an unexpected voice.

"Did you really think that we wouldn't figure out what you were planning?"

Daniel and Teal'c looked up to see Jack and Sam in the control room. It was Jack who had spoken.

Just then, the wormhole connected, but Daniel kept his eyes on his two teammates.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"I saw the look you sent Teal'c's way and knew that something was up. So did Carter. We followed you to his room and overheard what you said. Daniel, we understand why you're doing this, but you should have waited. We might have figured something out."

"Jack, I'm banned from ever going through the gate again by order of the president. What could you have figured out? We had to do this now in case something made it impossible for us to do it later."

"And so you were just going to leave without saying goodbye?" That had come from Sam, who was clearly very upset.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't want you and Jack to get into trouble. I thought that this was the best way. I wrote you and Jack each a letter. They're on my desk. I know that's not the same, but it's all that I could do."

"We could stop you, you know," Jack stated.

"No, you can't, Jack, and you know it. Please don't try."

The two men stared at each other over the distance that separated them. It was the colonel who backed down. Daniel was right, and he knew it. If Jack tried to stop them, the archeologist would use his abilities, and Jack didn't want to force his friend into doing that. Besides, as he had said, he understood why Daniel was doing this. He just wished that he could go with them. But, like on so many other occasions, his sense of duty to the Air Force would not let him do what he wanted to do.

"We're going to miss you," Sam said, trying very hard not to cry.

"I'm going to miss you, too, Sam," Daniel responded, a catch in his throat. God, this was even harder than he'd thought it would be. "You take care of yourself, all right? You too, Jack."

Taking one last look at their friends, Daniel and Teal'c headed up the ramp.

"Daniel!" Jack called.

Inches from the event horizon, Daniel turned to look up at the man who had become one of his best friends in the world.

"Remember the two weeks we all spent beside that poppy field?" Jack asked. "I hope that, someday, we can do that again."

Daniel paused a moment, then nodded. With a final glance at Sam, he then stepped through the Stargate with Teal'c.

* * *

"You just stood there and let them go?" Colonel Morrison roared at Jack and Sam. The three of them, along with General Hammond and Major Rice, were in the briefing room.

"Morrison, you've seen for yourself what Daniel can do," Jack responded. "How would we have stopped them? Shoot them? They'd already taken out all the guards. If Carter had shut down the dialing sequence, Daniel would have dialed out manually, and you can bet that we wouldn't have been able to get those blast doors open."

"And how do we know that you weren't in on their plan?" Major Rice asked.

"You don't, unless you accept my word when I say that Carter and I played no part in this."

"You had no idea that they were planning to leave?"

"Daniel had told us that, if he was forced to work for the NID or the DOD, he'd leave Earth and perhaps join one of our allies so that he could keep fighting the Goa'uld." Okay, so that wasn't really a lie. Daniel _had_ said that. Jack was just not mentioning that he and Carter had also overheard Daniel and Teal'c's plan to leave last night.

"And you didn't report that to anyone?" asked Colonel Morrison.

"No, I didn't. Why should I? As it turned out, Daniel wasn't transferred, so what he said then didn't matter."

"But if you had reported what he said, we might have been prepared for this and put a stop to it."

"Okay, first off, I would never betray Daniel's trust like that. Second, if I had told anyone and you had tried to stop him, someone might have gotten hurt."

"Do you know where they went?" Rice asked, still suspicious.

"According to the dialing computer, Doctor Jackson and Teal'c went to P3X-797, which we also call the Land of Light," Hammond answered. "However, they would not have remained there for long. They very likely headed somewhere else immediately, before they could be pursued."

"And you have no way of tracking them?" asked Morrison.

"No. We don't have the capability of determining where they went from there," Sam replied.

"You said that Doctor Jackson spoke of joining one of our allies. Which one?"

"He said something about joining the Tok'ra, but I'm betting that he changed his mind," Jack answered.

"Nevertheless, we need to send the Tok'ra a message and tell them that, if Doctor Jackson and Teal'c do come in contact with them, they are to apprehend them and return them to us."

Sam stared at the man. "Apprehend them? You mean imprison them and force them to return here."

"Doctor Jackson is an Earth citizen and an employee of the U.S. military who left this planet without permission. We have the right to demand that he be returned."

"Doctor Jackson may be a citizen of Earth, but he is no longer an employee of the military," General Hammond told everyone. He lifted a letter that had been sitting on the table before him. "I found this on my desk when I got here. It's his resignation."

"That makes no difference at all," Morrison insisted. "He was under presidential orders to remain on Earth. That alone is grounds for having him arrested."

"And what good would it do to have Daniel locked up in jail somewhere?" Jack asked. Then he thought of something. "Oh, wait. I know. You plan on blackmailing him, either go to work for you or spend the rest of his life in jail."

Morrison didn't respond, confirming Jack's guess.

"You people really are something else, aren't you," Sam said, her anger growing out of control. "Daniel is out there somewhere, putting his life on the line so that he can continue fighting for Earth and every human being in the galaxy, and you're mad that you lost the chance to get your hands on him. How petty and selfish can you get?"

"That is enough, Major," Morrison snapped. "I don't allow subordinates to show such disrespect."

"Then I'll back up what she said and add a bit more," Jack said. "You two are either utterly blind about what's really at stake here or are too stupid and short-sighted to see past what you want. Daniel did exactly what he knew he had to do. You and the president forced him to choose between two options that were both unacceptable to him, either allow himself to become a lab test subject and then be used to do things that were against his code of ethics or be stuck here at the SGC as a consultant with no power to really help in the way he needs to, the way that he alone now has the ability to help. Daniel chose a third option, one that would let him continue doing what he has spent most of the last six and a half years doing: fighting the Goa'uld and helping people whenever he could. And I have to say that I am damn proud of him."

Scowling, Morrison turned to Hammond. "General, what do you intend to do to get Doctor Jackson back?"

"I will contact the Tok'ra and tell them to be on the lookout for him and Teal'c, and, of course, all SG teams will be under orders to watch out for them. However, I will not make demands of the Tok'ra that they capture Doctor Jackson and Teal'c and return them to us. I will merely tell the Tok'ra to speak with them and try to encourage them to return. I will also not risk an injury to my men, Doctor Jackson or Teal'c by ordering the SG teams to forcefully apprehend them. They are not criminals, and I will not let them be treated as such."

The colonel's frown deepened. "Be assured, General, that you _will_ receive orders from the president to instruct both the Tok'ra and all SG team members to apprehend Doctor Jackson and Teal'c." He got to his feet and stormed out of the briefing room. Major Rice left immediately afterwards.

Hammond gave a deep sigh and rubbed a hand over his bald pate. Then he focused a stare on Jack. "Colonel, I'm asking you straight. Did you know that Doctor Jackson and Teal'c were going to do this?"

"I'd rather not answer that, sir."

"You just did. This is a real mess, Jack. I'm going to have a dozen people breathing down my neck, not the least of which will be the president."

"Sir, are you saying that you don't believe Daniel did the right thing?" Sam asked.

"No, Major, I'm not saying that. I understand why he did it, and I admire him for his courage and determination. But that isn't going to make my job any easier over the next few days. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to call the president and talk with him before Morrison does."

The general left the briefing room and went to his office. He sat behind his desk and picked up an envelope with his name handwritten on it. The envelope contained a personal letter to him from Daniel. It had been left on his desk along with the archeologist's letter of resignation.

Hammond took out the letter and read it for the second time.

_Dear General Hammond,_

_By the time you read this, I will be gone. I hope you can understand why I chose to leave. When I was ascended, I learned what it was like to sit on the sidelines, unable to help, and I can't live like that again. I know that, as a consultant for the SGC, I would still be performing an important function, but it wouldn't be enough. I need to be out there, using my knowledge and abilities to help people and to fight the Goa'uld. I had originally planned to go alone if I was forced to do this, but Teal'c has chosen to go with me because he felt that he needed to do so._

_I want to take this opportunity to tell you how much I have come to admire and respect you and how great an honor it has been to be under your command. You are a good and honest man who never failed to give me support and who had the patience to listen to my moralistic ranting and long-winded briefing presentations. I can't tell you how much that has meant to me. There were times that you believed in me when most others wouldn't have, and you showed me respect by listening to my side of an issue and by taking it into consideration when making a decision. You rarely let your military side blind you to what was the right thing to do, something that I know is not shared by everyone in the military._

_Thank you for everything, sir. I hope that, someday, we'll meet again._

_Daniel Jackson_

Hammond placed the letter back in the envelope and put it in the drawer that contained a few other personal belongings.

"I'm going to miss you, Daniel," the general said quietly. "I pray that we will meet again someday."


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Sam stared at the letter in her hands. Her name was written on the envelope in Daniel's distinctive handwriting. She knew that she needed to read it, but, so far, she hadn't found the courage.

Daniel was gone, not dead, not ascended, just . . . gone, and Sam was afraid that she'd never see him again. She was also terrified that something would happen to him. He and Teal'c were out there on their own with no backup, no SGC to call in case of an emergency, no infirmary to be rushed to if one of them was injured. They could both die, and she'd never know what happened to them.

Feeling unwanted tears sting her eyes, Sam blinked them away and forced herself to open the letter.

_Dearest Sam,_

_Where do I begin to say all the things I want to tell you? Right from the start, you have been such a good friend to me. It didn't take me long to realize that we were going to have a special friendship. You and I are so much alike, two workaholic scientists who were filled with passion for our chosen fields and who would rather spend our time hunched over some alien object or artifact than just about anything else. Even so, I sometimes marveled at how quickly and easily this bond between us developed. But I finally realized that what made our friendship work so well was more than just the ways that we were alike. It was something deeper. We were two people who found in each other someone we could trust with our feelings, our dreams, our beliefs and our passions, someone with whom we could share and revel in our sometimes childlike joy for our work. I only wish that I had been as open with my feelings as you were with yours. That wasn't your fault; it was mine._

_Though I have almost no memory of when I was ascended, I know that, during that year, I missed you. I missed our times together, both on-duty and off. I missed having a sounding board for my thoughts and ideas, and I missed the times that you did the same with me. Jack never really understood my deep love for archeology, linguistics and anthropology. He could never comprehend how I would rather pore over some translation riddle than go to a hockey game. But you did. You understood because you felt the same way about your scientific fields. You understood **me**, Sam, who I was as a person, what drove me. In my whole life, you're one of the only people who ever really did. You have no idea how important that was to me, how much it means to me to have you as a friend._

_Even as I'm writing this, I miss you already. I'll miss seeing you nearly every morning. I'll miss the way your face lights up when you've discovered some technological wonder. I'll miss your voice as you explain something technical during a briefing. I'll miss the touch of your hand on my back or my shoulder when you think that I need comforting or just when you feel like it. Most of all, I'll miss the feeling that I've found a kindred spirit in you._

_You are one of the best friends I've ever been lucky enough to have, Sam, and I love you. I will think of you often as Teal'c and I wander through the galaxy. I hope so much that we will see each other again someday. I will look forward to that day and pray that it comes soon._

_Goodbye, Sam. Please take care of yourself. Don't work too hard and don't let Jack's insistence on acting dumb drive you too crazy. Remember all the good times we had. I know that I will. You will be in my thoughts and in my heart always._

_Daniel_

Sam's battle to keep her tears at bay had crumbled after reading the first three sentences. She had known that this would hurt, but she'd had no idea how much. She almost felt like she did when Daniel 'died', like there was this big gaping hole in her chest in the vicinity of her heart.

All at once, an arm was laid over her shoulders. Startled, Sam looked up to see Janet. She was surprised to see that the doctor's eyes looked a little red-rimmed, as if she, too, had been crying.

"Janet?"

"He wrote me a letter, too, Sam. I just finished reading it a little while ago, and I knew that, if you read yours, you might need a friend to talk to."

Sam's face crumbled. "God, this is so hard. When he was dying and then ascended, it tore me apart. I wanted him back so badly. And then we _did_ get him back, and it was so great. But, now, he's gone again, and, like before, I don't know where he is or if I'll ever see him again."

Janet sat beside Sam. "In his letter to me, Daniel told me how much he appreciated all the times I'd been there for him. He said that I'd given him way more than he ever gave back." She paused. "But that wasn't true. Daniel gave me his friendship, and that meant more to me than anything else could. I suspect that you feel the same way."

Sam nodded mutely, unable to speak. She handed Janet the letter Daniel had written to her. Even though they were not addressed to her, the words Daniel wrote broke Janet's heart. She could only imagine what they had done to Sam. His words had been so heartfelt and full of love.

A sudden thought hit Janet forcefully, and she had to school her features to keep her thoughts from showing. Could it be? Was this what Eliza was referring to when she made that comment about Daniel's possible reason for not dating? Did Daniel have feelings for Sam that were more than friendship? Janet looked at the letter again, reading between the lines.

_'Oh, Daniel,'_ she said voicelessly. She had to wonder if the archeologist even realized the depth of his feelings for Sam. If he did, would he have left? Just as important a question was how did Sam feel about Daniel?

"He cares about you very much, Sam," she murmured.

"I know, and I care about him, too. I've never really told him how much he means to me. I tried to when he was dying, but I don't know if he understood. I don't even know if he heard me. I never told him again after he came back. I went back to taking everything for granted. And, now, he's gone again." Sam closed her eyes. "Why do we wait until it's too late to tell someone how we feel?"

Janet rubbed Sam's back soothingly. "Do you love him, Sam?"

"Of course I love him. He's my best fr. . . ." Sam stopped when she realized what Janet was asking. "Oh, uh, uh . . . no, not like that. I mean, yes, I've noticed how attractive he is. I'd have to be dead not to, but, though I love him as a friend, I'm not, well, you know."

"_In_ love with him."

"Yes. Right. Exactly."

Janet almost smiled at how flustered Sam had gotten. She had to wonder if the astrophysicist was, indeed, experiencing feelings for Daniel that were beyond the scope of friendship.

The truth was that Janet had been wondering for quite some time about Sam's feelings for Jack O'Neill. There had been that incident with the Zatarc detector a few years ago, and the doctor remembered how Sam acted when the colonel was trapped on Edora for over three months. But, because of regulations, Janet was certain that nothing would ever come of any feelings that Jack and Sam might have for each other, not unless one of them left the service. Now, however, Janet was beginning to wonder if Sam might be developing feelings for another member of her team . . . one with whom regulations did _not_ forbid her to have a relationship.

Which of the two men would bring Sam the most happiness? Though Janet liked and respected Jack, she knew that he and Sam were not compatible. They were too different in almost every way, and, while opposites might attract, they seldom succeeded in having a long, happy and successful relationship. There had to be some commonality on which to build a foundation. Daniel and Sam had that commonality. Janet could see a relationship between them lasting a lifetime. But, now that Daniel was gone, would such a relationship ever have a chance to grow? Janet hoped so. She hoped that Daniel would come back, not just for Sam's sake but for everyone's.

* * *

Jack hit the punching bag, pummeling it viciously. He was mad. No, make that utterly furious. He had just lost half his team, and he blamed it all on Morrison, Rice and the president. A military man being enraged at his Commander in Chief was generally not a good thing, but Jack couldn't help it. After all the good decisions the president had made over the past few years regarding the Stargate Program, he had now made a hell of a bad one, and because of it, the SGC had lost two of its most important personnel . . . and Jack had lost two of his best friends.

Giving the bag a final blow, Jack stormed off to the showers. Once he finished cleaning up, he went to his office. Sitting heavily in his chair, Jack's eyes fell upon the envelope that sat on his desk, the envelope that had remained unopened. Jack didn't want to read the contents. Reading Daniel's goodbye to him would drive home the fact that his friend was gone. But not reading it would be a betrayal of that friendship.

Reluctantly, Jack opened the envelope and took out the letter.

_Jack,_

_This is not something that I'd ever have thought I would do, write my feelings down in a letter to you. But there are things that I need to say, and this is the only way that I can do it now._

_When I was told that I could no longer be on SG-1, it hurt for a lot of reasons. I don't think you ever really understood how important SG-1 has been to me, how much it has meant to be a part of something, especially something so important. There was a period in time when I felt that I no longer belonged on SG-1, that my place on the team had become superfluous, serving no real purpose. That was a dark time in our relationship, one that still hurts when I think about it._

_You and I have been through so much together, more than most friends could even imagine, and I know that it took a toll on our friendship. The difference in our way of doing things, in our world view, made our relationship almost a love/hate one, and it hurts to admit that, in those last couple of years before I ascended, the 'hate' often outweighed the 'love'. Not that I ever really hated you. Even when you did things that hurt me, I never hated you, and I don't think that you ever hated me. We just couldn't see eye to eye much anymore._

_When I became human again and came to remember most of my life before ascension, I began hoping that the rift between us would heal, and we could go back to being friends. For the most part, that has happened, though I still miss the closeness that we shared those first couple of years or so. But I realize that you and I have changed too much to ever go back to the way things were back then. We're no longer the same people, especially me. That Daniel was so much more innocent and unscarred._

_I want you to know, Jack, that, despite everything, in spite of all the contention, angry words and insurmountable differences, you are still one of the best friends I have ever had and will ever have, and it hurts to know that I might never see you again._

_I hope that you can understand why I had to leave. It was not a decision I made easily. But, above all, I must be true to myself, and staying at the SGC in the capacity of only a consultant was something I simply could not do. I am no longer that kind of person. I guess you finally succeeded in turning me into a soldier, Jack. You must be so proud._

_It wasn't my idea that Teal'c go with me. He made that decision all on his own and wouldn't let me talk him out of it. You know Teal'c. I guess he wants to be there to watch my back. I will be glad for his presence, but I'm going to miss you and Sam a lot. I may not have always agreed with your decisions on missions, but I still can't think of another person I would rather have as my team leader._

_Thank you for all the times you gave me support, or a listening ear, or a helping hand. Thanks for watching out for me when I needed it and for respecting me enough to sometimes listen to my point of view regardless of how much it clashed with yours. Above all, Jack, thank you for being my friend._

_Daniel_

Jack reread the letter several times, a tight lump in his throat. For the first time in six and a half years, he really thought about how much Daniel meant to him. Oh, there had been other times when he'd thought about his relationship with the archeologist, usually after Daniel had died or almost died, but he had never let himself dig too deeply into his feelings. That was dangerous territory for a man who had shut away his heart after the death of his son and had sworn to never love someone that deeply again for fear that he'd lose them, too. But he was thinking about it now and knew that, in spite of himself, he had come to care for Daniel way more than should have. Despite all the times that he'd felt like doing something violent to the younger man, he loved him like a brother, like a best friend, pretty much the best friend he'd ever had. And, now, Daniel was gone, gone without ever having heard Jack say that he cared.

Anger again arose in Jack, but, this time, it was aimed at himself. He'd been a lousy friend to Daniel, especially during the last year or two before the archeologist's ascension. Jack's anger changed to shame and then determination. One way or another, no matter what he had to do, he was going to get Daniel back in the SGC and back on SG-1. And if he couldn't? Then maybe the time had come to forget duty and put friendship first.

* * *

Daniel and Teal'c crouched behind the brush, their eyes on the Stargate. It had activated a moment ago, and they were tensely waiting to see if the person coming through it was the one they were expecting.

The blue, water-like surface rippled, and Master Bra'tac stepped through. Relaxing, Daniel and Teal'c rose to their feet and approached him. The old Jaffa smiled and strode toward them. He clasped his former student's arm.

"Tek matte, Teal'c," he greeted. "It is good to see you, old friend."

"It is good to see you again, my friend," Teal'c said.

Bra'tac turned to Daniel and inclined his head. "Daniel Jackson, it is good to see you as well." He looked between them. "But what is this about? Where are the others? The message I received said only to meet you here."

"Daniel Jackson and I no longer serve the Tau'ri," Teal'c told the older Jaffa.

Surprised, Bra'tac stared at them. "Why is this?"

"It's a very long story, Bra'tac," Daniel replied.

The old Jaffa relaxed his stance. "I have no other plans at the moment."

Smiling faintly, Daniel started his explanation at the beginning. "Okay, I'm guessing that you pretty much know all about my ascension, how I ascended to a higher plane of existence and became like one of the beings that we met on Kheb."

Bra'tac nodded. "Yes. I also know that you were made human again because you defied the laws of those beings and tried to help your people."

"Well, as it turned out, when I was made human again, I might not have come back exactly the way I was before."

"Explain."

"I've discovered that I have certain abilities that I didn't before, or at least not that I was aware of."

"Such as?"

Daniel looked at the staff weapon Bra'tac was holding. A moment later, it was jerked from the Jaffa's grasp and flew into Daniel's hand. Bra'tac stared at the staff weapon, then at Daniel, the closest thing that the archeologist had ever seen to shock on the man's face.

"Is this a trick?" Bra'tac asked.

"It is no trick, my friend," Teal'c told him. "Daniel Jackson has gained great power. I myself witnessed him destroy six enemy Jaffa with a ball of fire that came from nothingness. He is now more powerful that the Goa'uld, for he does not need technology to give him his power."

Surprised by Teal'c's statement, Daniel stared at him, feeling more than a little embarrassed and uneasy that his friend thought that way.

"Then you have become a mighty weapon against them!" Bra'tac declared to Daniel, clapping him on the shoulder. "But why it is that you no longer serve Hammond of Texas?"

Daniel explained to the Jaffa what happened. Bra'tac shook his head once the tale was finished.

"I do not understand the thinking of the Tau'ri. If you were a Jaffa, we would revel in your power and use it to defeat our enemies. We would not lock you away where your power is of no use."

"Unfortunately, the Tau'ri sometimes have a different way of looking at things. There were people who wanted to use my abilities, but it would have been to do things that I am not willing to do, and it would _not_ have been to fight the Goa'uld."

"So, now, you and Teal'c fight alone?"

"Well, we were kind of hoping that you and the other rebel Jaffa could help us once in a while. That's why we wanted to talk with you."

Bra'tac nodded sharply. "Of course. I will gladly fight at your side whenever you are in need of my aid, and I know that other rebel Jaffa will do likewise. Tomorrow, I am meeting a group within Ba'al's army. I would be pleased and honored if you accompanied me."

Daniel looked at Teal'c, who nodded. "Okay, we'd like that."

The sun was setting, so the three men made preparations for the night. Daniel and Teal'c had some dried meat and other preserved foodstuffs, enough to last for a couple of weeks, but they were intending to use them only when necessary. Both men had experience living off the land. This night, they would be dining on a rabbit-like creature that was caught in a snare Daniel had constructed while they waited for Bra'tac. The archeologist was grateful for all the digs he'd went on in remote areas that were not within easy driving distance from civilization. In those years, he'd learned how to hunt and fish, many of his skills having been learned from the local people of the area. Of course, back then, he couldn't have imagined that he'd someday be using those skills to catch wildlife that had never existed on Earth.

A pile of wood had been gathered, and Bra'tac expertly stacked it for a campfire as Teal'c prepared the animal for cooking. The Jaffa Master reached for the small device that he used to light fires, but, before he could use it, the wood burst into flames. Startled yet again, he looked at Daniel.

"Sorry. Force of habit," the human said contritely. "Since Teal'c and I left Earth, I've been the designated fire-starter. We have a lighter, but it's to be used only when necessary since the fuel is limited."

Bra'tac nodded and put away his fire-lighter, not revealing how impressed he was with the human's ability.

"How long has it been since you left Earth?" he asked.

"Today is the third day. The first day, we found someplace safe and started making plans. The second day, we got some supplies from a planet that's about three decades behind Earth technologically. There were things that we couldn't bring with us from Earth since we sort of had to sneak away."

"Tell me of your plans."

"Contacting you and other Jaffa is the first step. We have no way of gaining information on Goa'uld plans and movements on our own, so we need others for that. We'd seek out the Tok'ra, but I figure that, by now, the SGC has contacted them and told them about us going AWOL."

Bra'tac frowned, perplexed. "A wall?"

"A-W-O-L. Absent Without Leave, meaning that we left without permission. The Tok'ra may have been told to catch us and send us back to Earth if they come across us."

"So, you must keep away from them."

"Yeah. And we also have to hope that we don't bump into any SG teams. I _know_ that they'll be under orders to bring us back."

"It is not good that your allies have now become your enemies."

"Not our enemies, Bra'tac. They'll never be that. We just have to steer clear of them."

"What of the Goa'uld? Do you intend to attack them directly now?"

"No, not unless we have no choice. Even with my new abilities it would be suicide unless we had a whole lot of help. For right now, we're going to continue doing what we were doing on SG-1, aid in spreading the rebellion among the Jaffa, try to find ways to destroy the Goa'uld, and help any people we run across who need it. The biggest problem we have is that we now have no way of checking out what's on the other side of a wormhole before stepping through. That could be dangerous, to say the least. Which is something else that we need your help with. We need gate addresses for worlds that you think would be good places for us to go, preferably ones where the Stargate isn't sitting in the middle of a Goa'uld stronghold."

Bra'tac nodded. "This I can do, and I am sure that other Jaffa will be able to provide more addresses. What are you looking for in particular?"

"Well, more than anything, places where there are ruins or other things that have writing in the language of the Ancients."

Bra'tac nodded. "I cannot read that language, but I am familiar with its appearance. I know of several places where ruins with that writing exist."

"Great! This is the most important thing. We're looking for a city of the Ancients, a place where there are weapons that can be used to defeat the Goa'uld."

Teal'c brought over the animal that was to be their dinner and placed it on the spit he had made. As it cooked, the three men discussed the plans Daniel and Teal'c had. After eating, they talked some more, then retired for the night.

The next morning at dawn, the men packed up and left the planet, traveling to where Bra'tac was to meet the other rebel Jaffa. It was high noon on that world and at least twenty degrees hotter than the place they'd left. A few moments after exiting the Stargate, they saw a small group of Jaffa come out of hiding nearby. They came forward, led by a tall man with black hair and dark eyes. The symbol on his forehead marked him as being in the service of Ba'al.

"Bra'tac. We were expecting you to come alone," he said. He looked at Teal'c. "You are Teal'c. We have heard much about you and your victories against the Goa'uld while fighting with the Tau'ri." The Jaffa then turned his attention to Daniel.

"This is Daniel Jackson," Teal'c told him. "He is my friend and has fought beside me for many years. He is of the Tau'ri."

The Jaffa inclined his head. "Welcome Daniel Jackson of the Tau'ri. I am No'am."

"It's good to meet you, No'am," Daniel said.

The Jaffa returned his gaze to Bra'tac. "Has there been some change?"

"Yes, there has, No'am, one that will help us greatly in our fight against the Goa'uld. Come. Let us join the others, and we will discuss things."

They traveled down a barely discernable path through a thick growth of trees. On the other side was a clearing with around fifty Jaffa.

As they entered the clearing, the assembled Jaffa stared at Teal'c and Daniel, some of them with curiosity, others with suspicion. No'am made introductions.

"Listen to me, brothers," Bra'tac said loudly. "All of us here have slaved for years for the Goa'uld, and all of us tire of it. We want freedom, for ourselves, for our children, and for all generations of Jaffa to come. But it is a battle that will not be won quickly or easily. We have mighty allies among the Tau'ri of Earth, who wish the destruction of the Goa'uld as greatly as we do. This man here," he gestured toward Daniel, "is one of them. He has fought the Goa'uld for years, using his skills and great knowledge to help defeat them. He and his companions have caused the deaths of many Goa'uld, including Ra, Apophis, Hathor, and Cronus, to name only four. But, now, Daniel Jackson has gained a power that will be an even greater weapon against the Goa'uld."

"Bra'tac, what are you doing?" Daniel hissed.

"Silence, Human. I know what I am doing."

"What is this power of which you speak?" asked one of the Jaffa.

"One that the Goa'uld do not possess, a power that is not created by technology but by the mind."

Every Jaffa in the clearing looked at Daniel, who suddenly felt extremely self-conscious.

"Show us this power," another Jaffa demanded.

Bra'tac looked at Daniel expectantly.

"Bra'tac, this isn't what I was planning," the archeologist said in barely more than a whisper.

"Trust me, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel searched the man's eyes, then gave a sigh. Still feeling self-conscious, he walked a few feet away from the group of Jaffa. Turning to face them, he closed his eyes, and delved into his mind for that place from which the power came. Opening his eyes, he stared down at the ground before him. As he lifted his hands, a column of flame erupted from the earth, casting his features in firelight. Gasps and murmurs of surprise spread throughout those witnessing the display.

The fire rose higher, towering over Daniel's head by several feet, making the closest of the Jaffa back up uneasily. With a silent command, Daniel extinguished the blaze.

"This is a Goa'uld trick!" one Jaffa shouted after a long silence. "Who but the Goa'uld could do such a thing?"

There were more murmurs, this time with darker overtones.

"Hear me, Jaffa!" Teal'c shouted. "This is no trick, and the Goa'uld have no part in it. This man is my friend and a warrior of the Tau'ri. I have trusted him with my life on more than one occasion. This power that he just showed you is one that he gained when he was transformed into a creature of energy, a being that lives on a higher plane of existence for which all Jaffa strive. I witnessed one of those very beings cause lightning to fall out of the sky and destroy two Death Gliders and many Jaffa on the ground. Daniel Jackson is human again now, but some of the power he gained as one of those beings remains."

"How can we believe this?" asked the same Jaffa who had accused Daniel's display as being a Goa'uld trick.

"You know that I'm not a Goa'uld," Daniel replied. "I don't have a symbiote inside me, which I'm sure you can all sense. You also know that no human who is not a host for a Goa'uld would be given control of this kind of power by them."

"This is true," admitted another Jaffa.

"Also, if I _was_ working for the Goa'uld, you would all be dead now. I would have no reason to delay killing you."

"You could be attempting to learn of other rebel Jaffa," a third Jaffa said.

Daniel sighed. He turned to Bra'tac. "Okay, this was your bright idea. How do you propose that we convince them I'm not working for the Goa'uld?"

The Jaffa Master turned to the others. "My brothers. Like Teal'c, I have known this human for several years. I know him well and have fought beside him many times. He has much reason to hate the Goa'uld, more than many of you here. His wife was taken by the Goa'uld and made a host to Amaunet, Apophis' queen. Later, she was killed when the symbiote within her attempted to take his life. His brother by marriage was also made a host, though he was later freed. Another woman who has great meaning to Daniel Jackson was taken as the host of Osiris and is still so to this day. This man has suffered much and lost a great deal because of the Goa'uld. Why would he now be their ally?"

The Jaffa talked amongst themselves in low voices for a few seconds. The Jaffa who started all the trouble then said, "The Goa'uld have ways of controlling the minds of humans."

"Now you think I've been brainwashed?" Daniel exclaimed. "What do we have to do to convince you that I'm not with the Goa'uld?"

"Prove to us that you do not have a device hidden in your clothing," one Jaffa responded.

"You want me to strip?" Everyone just stared at him.

With a sigh, Daniel set everything he was carrying on the ground, including all the things in his pockets. Thankful that it was a warm day, he then stripped down to his underwear, feeling excruciatingly embarrassed as all the Jaffa watched him carefully. He was glad that he'd chosen to wear boxer briefs today instead of boxers since the briefs clearly couldn't be hiding anything that was not a part of his anatomy, meaning that he could keep them on.

A couple of the Jaffa examined his clothing, while another went through the things he'd been carrying. Once they were all satisfied that no Goa'uld devices were being hidden anywhere, they let Daniel put his clothes back on. The archeologist left his things where they lay on the ground for now.

"Okay, happy now?" he asked, starting to get a little ticked off. "Or do you need me to do something else now that you're sure I'm not wearing any kind of Goa'uld device?"

"Perhaps you should, Daniel Jackson," Bra'tac suggested.

Daniel subjected him to a glare. Deciding that he'd had enough of this, the archeologist chose to make it crystal clear to everyone that there was no Goa'uld technology involved in what he could do. Taking a deep breath and focusing his concentration, he stretched out his hand. A few seconds later, the staff weapons held by the troublemaker and several other Jaffa were wrenched from their hands and went sailing through the air to land at Daniel's feet.

"Now, I ask you. Have you ever seen a Goa'uld do anything like that?" he asked. "Have you ever seen them do something like this?" The staff weapon held by another Jaffa burst into flames. The man dropped it hastily and watched as it melted into an unrecognizable blob. "And how about this?" A small fireball blossomed in the air before Daniel and shot off to blast a nearby boulder.

Daniel closed his eyes tightly for a moment. An excruciating headache was pounding through his skull, making him feel a little sick, the sunlight feeling like it was spearing right into his brain. He knew that he'd just overdone it. He hadn't realized how much it would take to melt a staff weapon. The material they were made of must have a very high melting point.

As the headache eased a little, Daniel became more aware that every man in the clearing was staring at him in amazement, including Teal'c and Bra'tac.

"So, is that enough to convince you that this is not a Goa'uld trick or shall I just leave?" he asked, no longer in the mood to argue his case.

With a look of satisfaction on his face, Bra'tac turned to the other Jaffa. "What do you say, brothers? Have any of you ever seen the Goa'uld display such power?"

"It is true," No'am said. "I have been in the service of the Goa'uld for many years, and I have never seen such a thing as this." He gazed at Daniel. "You are truly as a god."

"No! I am _not_ a god," the archeologist said forcefully. "Being able to do things like that does not make someone a god. That's the thing with the Goa'uld. They think that because they're superior to other lifeforms in some ways, that gives them the right to call themselves gods. But they're not gods. They are parasites that use their technology to rule over people who either don't have the strength to fight them or the understanding to realize the truth about them. If I wanted to, I could do the same thing, but, unlike the Goa'uld, I have no desire to rule, and I know that I'm no more a god than any of you are."

"Well said, Daniel Jackson," Bra'tac praised.

"What is it that you want of us?" No'am asked Daniel.

"I . . . _we_ want to be your allies, to work with you against the Goa'uld."

"Have not the rebel Jaffa already allied with the Tau'ri of Earth? Even now, there are many of us at the place you call the Alpha Site."

Daniel nodded. "Yes, you're right, but, because of certain circumstances, Teal'c and I cannot return to Earth. Therefore, we seek a separate alliance with you since, with greater numbers, we are stronger."

"You seek to build an army?" another Jaffa asked.

"No. We only want to stay in contact with you and other rebel Jaffa and be able to call on you for help if we need it. We also need information about some things and to be kept informed of important developments. In return, Teal'c and I will help any of you if you ever need us and will pass on any useful information that we gain. There may be a day in the future when we _will_ need an army, but today is not that day."

The Jaffa spoke amongst themselves again, then the one who had first put Daniel's motives into question stepped forward. "I pledge myself as an ally, Daniel Jackson, and I swear that I will give aid to you in whatever way is within my power." He crossed his arm over his chest and bowed his head.

One by one, the other Jaffa repeated the pledge until every one had spoken. Daniel looked over at Teal'c, who had a look of satisfaction on his face. Also there was an expression of great respect, pride and confidence. Daniel just hoped that his friend's confidence in him wouldn't end up getting Teal'c killed.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

After the Jaffa had pledged themselves as allies, things went a lot more smoothly, though the way that some of the Jaffa looked at him still made Daniel uneasy. The last thing he wanted was for them to see him as a new leader. That was one of the reasons why he hadn't wanted to reveal his abilities to any of them. The other, more important reason was something that he would now have to try to prevent.

"There is something I must ask you not to do," he said after they had all been discussing things for a while. "I need you to swear that you won't tell anyone about me, and that includes your families and other rebel Jaffa."

"Why do you wish to keep your power a secret?" a Jaffa asked. "The Goa'uld flaunt their power, using it to discourage those who would seek to attack them."

"It's because of the Goa'uld that what I can do _must_ be kept secret. If they find out about me, they'll hunt me down and either kill me or try to take me as a host. If my abilities are kept hidden from them, I can work in secret until the right time comes to strike."

Several Jaffa nodded in agreement.

"What you say is both wise and true," No'am stated. "We will not speak of what we witnessed this day."

Several others spoke up and gave their promise to keep the secret.

"Why do you not destroy the Goa'uld one by one with your power?" a Jaffa asked the archeologist. "With such power, you could strike at them, destroying any who stood in your way."

"My power is not without limit," Daniel explained. "I haven't yet discovered that limit, but I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to wipe out the hundreds of Jaffa that would stand between me and a Goa'uld. And would you want me to? How many of those Jaffa would be like you, men who want to be free but have no choice but to serve the Goa'uld? Even if I had the capacity, I couldn't slaughter hundreds of men just to get at one Goa'uld. I'd be no better than the Goa'uld if I did that."

"What Daniel Jackson says is correct," Bra'tac stated. "If we are to defeat the Goa'uld, we must do so in a way that will spare as many of our fellow Jaffa as we can. With the right plan," he looked at Daniel, "and the right use of power, we can cut the Goa'uld out like a knife cutting the heart out of an enemy's chest."

Daniel grimaced at the analogy, wishing that Bra'tac had used something a bit less . . . graphic.

"What is your plan?" No'am asked, his question addressed to Daniel rather than Bra'tac. There was a look in the man's eyes that really made Daniel uncomfortable. It was almost . . . worshipful.

"There is something that we're looking for, and I'm hoping that you can help us. Are all of you familiar with the writing of the Ancients?"

Some nodded, while others shook their heads. Daniel scratched a few lines of Ancient text in the dirt. "It looks like this."

"What is its importance?" one of the Jaffa asked.

"We are looking for information about something, something that may help us against the Goa'uld. If any of you know of planets where this kind of writing exists, I'd like to have the addresses."

Several of the Jaffa said that they had seen such writing, and those who could remember the gate addresses gave them to Daniel. He and Teal'c then asked about other planets that might be of interest to them. After that, the two former SG-1 team members gathered some intel from the Jaffa. Some of it was very useful, useful enough that Daniel wished he had a way to safely pass on the information to the SGC. Then he realized that maybe there _was_ a way. He knew some of the addresses of planets that were on the SGC's schedule to visit soon. Perhaps he could somehow leave a message at one of them.

Finally, everything was wrapped up, and the rebel Jaffa departed through the Stargate, Bra'tac remaining behind to discuss some final things with Daniel and Teal'c.

"I must apologize to you, Daniel Jackson," the Jaffa Master said. "I admit that my excitement over your power spurred me to show it to the others. Many of the ones who were here today have great doubts that we can win against the Goa'uld, and I believed that seeing your power and knowing that you fight on our side would strengthen their confidence. I did not anticipate the reaction of some. I also did not consider the possibility that word of your power would spread through them to the Goa'uld and endanger your life."

"So that's why you did that. I have to admit that I wasn't very happy about it, Bra'tac. This is not something that I want a lot of people to know about. The more people who do, the greater the chances are that the news will spread to the Goa'uld." Daniel sighed. "But what's done is done. All we can do now is hope that those Jaffa don't tell anyone."

"I have confidence that they will not speak of it. I fear, though, that some of them still see you as something akin to a god. With our knowledge of the Goa'uld and how they deceived us into thinking that they were gods, I had not believed that any of our numbers would so readily succumb to such beliefs again."

Daniel stared down at the ground in discomfort. "Yeah, I noticed it, too, especially No'am."

Bra'tac smiled. "He is young and easily impressed."

"So, what do we do about this?"

"Nothing. You have already told them the truth, that you are not a god. In time, this first flush of awe will fade, and they will accept that you are just a man. But I believe, Daniel Jackson, that all who were here today will continue to hold you in reverence. It is not every day that they see someone wield godlike powers that were not created by some device. This can only be to our advantage. They will be far more willing to come to the aid of a human they hold in such deep respect."

Daniel sighed. "Well, I still don't like it, Bra'tac."

The Jaffa Master laughed. "Truly, you are not at all like the Goa'uld, despite your power."

"Indeed he is not," Teal'c agreed.

The humor left Bra'tac's face. "I must take leave of you now. If you have need of me again, contact me in the same way."

Teal'c grasped his mentor's arm. "Goodbye, old friend. When next you see Rya'c, tell him that I think of him often and hope to see him again soon."

Bra'tac nodded and turned to Daniel. He took hold of Daniel's arm in the same manner as he would a Jaffa, laying his other hand on the archeologist's shoulder. "When first we met, I believed you to be weak and useless. I soon learned that I was in error. But, now, you have a strength that is greater than the Jaffa, and I realize that much of that strength was there all along." He placed his hand over Daniel's heart. "It is here. Goodbye, Daniel Jackson. Until we meet again."

Daniel and Teal'c watched as the man activated the Stargate and walked through it. The archeologist looked at the list of gate addresses that he had gotten from Bra'tac and the other Jaffa. There were dozens of them. Those marked with an asterisk were the planets where the Jaffa had seen Ancient writing. They would be the first ones that he and Teal'c would visit.

"It is growing late," Teal'c remarked. "We should remain here for the night, then depart at first light."

Daniel gave him a nod and helped set up camp.

Later on, after dinner, Daniel sat staring into the flames of the campfire. "Teal'c, do you really think that we can do this?" he asked quietly.

"Do what, Daniel Jackson?"

"Manage to accomplish something without Jack, Sam and the rest of the SGC, manage to stay alive and out of the hands of the Goa'uld."

"Yes. How can I not after witnessing your abilities? With such power at our disposal, I am certain that we will succeed in doing much."

Daniel kept staring into the fire. "I just wish that it hadn't been necessary to leave Earth to do it."

"You regret your decision?"

"No. It's what I had to do. I only regret that it was made necessary. And. . . ." Daniel looked out into the night. "I miss Sam and Jack. I've been on missions without them plenty of times, but knowing that this isn't just a temporary situation makes it a lot worse."

"I, too, wish that O'Neill and Major Carter were with us."

Daniel met the Jaffa's eyes. "But I'm glad that you're with me, Teal'c. I don't know if I could have done this alone."

The two men fell silent. A short while later, they went to bed, wondering what the days ahead would bring.

* * *

Colonel Reynolds and the rest of SG-3 proceeded warily through the woodland, constantly on the lookout for danger. They had found signs that someone had been in the area recently, though the UAV and MALP revealed no habitations or other structures within fifty miles of the gate, with the exception of some crumbling ruins. It was toward those ruins that they were now heading.

This mission was one that a certain archeologist would have enjoyed. Reynolds' jaw tightened as he thought about the reason why that archeologist and the rest of SG-1 were not here instead of SG-3.

When news of Daniel and Teal'c's escape through the Stargate hit the base, it sent a shockwave through everyone. No one had any idea why the two members of SG-1 had done it. And then they found out something else. Two of the men who were guarding the gate room at the time reported that their weapons were ripped out of their grasp by an unseen force. Most shocking of all was that the men swore it was Daniel who had done it.

Not long after that, an announcement was made by General Hammond. What he told them left them all feeling stunned . . . and many of them angry. Daniel Jackson had somehow gained an incredible ability that could have helped the SGC in its fight against the Goa'uld, yet he had been forced to leave SG-1 because it was believed by some that it was too much of a risk to allow him to go off-world. His and Teal'c's escape through the Stargate had been the archeologist's only hope of continuing the fight instead of being relegated to a position that would have left him unable to directly aid in defeating the Goa'uld and in helping the countless billions of humans out there in the galaxy.

Every member of Reynolds' team thought that what had been done to Daniel was wrong and that the archeologist had shown a lot of guts in doing what he did. All of the SG teams had been told to keep an eye out for him and Teal'c and to strongly encourage them to return to the SGC. This had been followed by every one of the SG team members making it clear that they would not be willing to do anything that would bring harm to the two men. General Hammond had told all of them that, though the president and others high up in the chain of command wanted Daniel returned, no one was to do anything that might harm him or result in someone else being hurt. In other words, talk to Daniel, try to reason with him, but do _not_ attempt to force him.

Three days ago, Daniel and Teal'c had proven that, though they were no longer part of the SGC, they were still doing their job. On their most recent mission, SG-20 had found a note attached to the DHD. The note was written in a mixture of Spanish, Russian, French and German, but everyone instantly recognized the signature of the person who wrote it: Daniel Jackson. Once the note was translated, it was found to be some valuable information about several Goa'uld.

A sudden sound tore Reynolds away from his thoughts. An instant later, all hell broke loose as a large party of Jaffa appeared and started firing upon SG-3. The humans returned fire, but it soon became apparent that they couldn't win. There were far too many. Reynolds called to his men to retreat to the gate.

Using the trees for cover, the team headed back toward the gate. They were nearly there when one of the team was clipped in the arm by a staff weapon blast. With the help of a teammate, he continued running.

At last they reached the clearing where the Stargate was. Looking at the open ground, Reynolds knew that they were in big trouble. There was no way that they could make it to the gate. They'd be mowed down before they got halfway there. But what other choice was there? Waiting for help to arrive was out of the question. Their first check-in wasn't due for several hours. No one would know they were in trouble until after they failed to make it, which would be far too late to save them.

Realizing that they had no alternative, Reynolds gave the order to make a run for the Stargate, hoping that a miracle – or perhaps the Jaffa's poor aim – would save them.

Firing over their shoulders, SG-3 ran full-speed across the clearing. They'd only covered about twenty yards when more Jaffa burst from the trees on the other side of the gate. At the same time, one of Reynolds' men fell from a staff weapon blast to the leg. It was then that Reynolds knew they were all going to die.

Two seconds after that, they got their miracle.

As if the very air had caught fire, a wave of flames suddenly blossomed to life and blasted toward the Jaffa who were pursuing SG-3, forcing them to turn and run or be fried where they stood. Another wall of fire then raced at the Jaffa on the other side of the gate, who also fled.

Some of the Jaffa, either the stupidest or most stubborn, began advancing again after the flames vanished. They didn't get very far. The grass beneath their feet abruptly caught fire. Screaming from the pain, the Jaffa retreated. No matter how they tried to get around it, the fire was always there, blocking their path. Fear finally drove the Jaffa to abandon their attack, and they ran away into the trees.

Stunned by what had just happened, SG-3 looked around as the fire flickered out. Smoke from the burned grass filled the air, making the men cough.

"What the hell did that, sir?"

Reynolds looked at the man who had spoken. "I have no. . . ."

The colonel's voice petered off as two figures appeared out of the smoke and came toward them.

"My God," Reynolds whispered.

* * *

"Jack, you can't put this off forever," General Hammond told the colonel. "It's been a week. You need to pick replacements for Doctor Jackson and Teal'c."

"I know, sir. It's just that I keep hoping. . . ."

"That the president will change his mind and they'll come back?"

Jack sighed. "Yes, sir."

The general's voice gentled. "I understand your feelings, Colonel. I feel the same way. I wasn't shy about letting the president know that it was because of his decision that Doctor Jackson felt he had to leave and that, as long as that decision stood, neither Doctor Jackson nor Teal'c would return, which means that the SGC will not have their considerable skills. I also pointed out that, as long as they were out there in the universe alone, without the SGC backing them up, the chances of them being caught or killed were significantly higher, meaning that, by attempting to prevent that from happening, the president had made it more likely that it _would_ happen."

"How'd he take that, sir?"

"Well, needless to say, I was a bit more politic about how I said it, but he got the point. He said that he would think about it. He's not very pleased, however, that Doctor Jackson did this."

"Do you think that the president would have Daniel brought up on charges if he ever came back to Earth?"

"I'd like to think that he wouldn't because of Doctor Jackson's reason for doing it and because Earth needs him in the fight against the Goa'uld, but I can't be certain of that. But then, it's all academic if we can't find Doctor Jackson and Teal'c."

"There's been no word from the Tok'ra?"

"No. As you know, Jacob and several other Tok'ra are at the Alpha Site, working on the Telchak device. They've heard nothing from any of the Tok'ra operatives about where Doctor Jackson and Teal'c might be. However, they say that there is something going on with the rebel Jaffa. There's a rumor spreading among the Jaffa that a very powerful ally has joined them to fight alongside them."

A smile spread across Jack's face. "Daniel. It's Daniel, sir. He and Teal'c have hooked up with the rebel Jaffa. It's exactly what I would have done in their situation. This might explain how Daniel and Teal'c got that information they passed on."

"I believe that you may be right, but the Jaffa, when questioned, would not disclose any details. It's possible that many may not even know the whole truth."

"If they are working directly with the Jaffa, then you can bet that Bra'tac is involved. He might even know where Daniel and Teal'c are hiding out. If we can get a promise from the president that Daniel will be allowed to return to SG-1 and will not be charged with anything, we can contact Bra'tac and give him the message to pass on to them."

Any further conversation was halted by the alarm of an unscheduled off-world activation. Jack and Hammond rushed to the control room.

"Are we getting a signal?" the general asked the moment the wormhole was established.

There was a pause, then Sergeant Harriman announced, "It's SG-3, sir!"

"Open the iris." Hammond exchanged a glance with Jack. "They weren't due back until tomorrow."

Moments after the iris opened, all four members of SG-3 stumbled through. Two of the men were injured from what looked like staff blasts. Hammond called for a medical team, then headed down to the gate room with Jack.

"What happened, Colonel?" the general asked Reynolds.

"Jaffa, sir. They hit us hard." An expression of wonder filled the man's face. "If it wasn't for Doctor Jackson, we'd all be dead."

"What? Daniel was there?" Jack shouted.

"He and Teal'c showed up just as things were looking really bad." The man shook his head. "I've never seen anything like it. There was suddenly fire everywhere, blasting the Jaffa and forcing them back. They finally tucked tail and ran."

"Did you talk to Daniel and Teal'c?"

"Yes, for a little while. It turns out that they were there for the same reason we were, to examine those ruins. They arrived on the planet a couple of days ago and were heading back to the gate when they heard the fighting and came running." Reynolds gazed at the commander of SG-1. "Daniel didn't look so good, Jack."

Concern immediately flared within Jack. "What do you mean he didn't look so good?"

"He was pale and obviously in pain, though he seemed to get better after a few minutes."

"Was he injured?" Hammond asked, also worried.

"I don't think so, at least not in the fight. I didn't see a mark on him. I asked if he was okay, and he said that he was fine. I tried to convince them to come back, but they refused, and I wasn't about to press the issue, not after seeing what Daniel can do. I know what you told us, sir, and what the report on the mission to 353 said, but damn! I had no idea! It was. . . ." Reynolds shook his head. "I can't even describe it, sir. It's a damn shame that Daniel is no longer working for the SGC. We could really use that kind of power."

"Yes, we could, Colonel."

The general told Reynolds and the other uninjured man to report in an hour for debriefing, then went with Jack back up to his office.

"Okay, now I'm _really_ worried about Daniel," Jack said. "We need to contact him."

"I agree, Colonel. Once SG-3's debriefing is finished, I intend to call the president and give him this new information. This proves even more how important it is to have Doctor Jackson on an SG team. But, regardless of what the president says, I want us to get a message to Master Bra'tac that we need to talk to Doctor Jackson and Teal'c. We then need to arrange a safe meeting place."

"Uh, well, sir, I kind of already set that up."

Hammond stared at Jack narrowly. "I'd say that you had better explain that to me, Colonel."

"Yes, I guess I'd better."


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

Daniel and Teal'c stood before a huge field of orange flowers.

"You are certain that this is the correct place and day, Daniel Jackson?" the Jaffa asked.

"Positive. On our mission here a few years ago, Jack said that the flowers reminded him of opium poppies. He joked that a hell of a lot of people could get high on that many flowers. That mission lasted only three days, yet, in the gate room, as you and I were leaving, Jack made a comment about us being here for two weeks. I realized that he was telling us to meet him here in two weeks."

"Master Bra'tac's message confirms that O'Neill wishes to meet with us."

"Yeah. Something must be going on."

Just then, Daniel and Teal'c both turned in the direction of the Stargate, the Jaffa because he had heard someone approaching, the archeologist because he had suddenly sensed that they had company. The two men ducked into their hiding place and waited. A short while later, two figures came into view, and they recognized Jack and Sam. They waited for their former teammates to get a little closer, then left their hiding place. Jack and Sam instantly froze upon seeing them.

"Hey, guys," Daniel said quietly, trying not to smile too broadly

"Daniel!" Sam shouted. In the next instant, she was hugging the linguist so tightly that he was afraid she'd break a rib. Not really caring if she did, Daniel returned the hug.

As if suddenly realizing that she was making a spectacle of herself, Sam pulled back. She gave Teal'c a much quicker and less enthusiastic hug. Jack then stepped forward with a huge grin and, much to Daniel's surprise, embraced him heartily. The colonel then gave Teal'c a brief hug.

"It's so good to see you guys," Sam said, grinning like an idiot. "We've really missed you."

"We've missed you, too, Sam," Daniel told her. His eyes went to Jack. "Both of you."

"So, how are you doing?" Jack asked, watching Daniel for any sign that he was sick or hurt. The archeologist appeared to be fine.

"We are well, O'Neill," Teal'c answered.

"It's been an interesting two weeks," Daniel added.

Jack snorted. "Yeah, I bet."

"So, we got your message that you really needed to talk with us. Does this have something to do with the incident with SG-3 a week ago?"

"Partly. You impressed the hell out of Reynolds, Daniel. The SGC is really buzzing with the news. Hammond was quick to let the president know about it. They've been talking a lot, and the general thinks that the president is on the verge of reversing his decision and letting you rejoin SG-1. He probably already would have done so if it wasn't for the people who are firmly against it."

"What about what Teal'c and I did?"

"Don't worry, Daniel. You won't be brought up on any charges. Hammond already got that promise from the president."

"Well, that's a relief."

"Everyone really wants you back, Daniel," Sam told him.

"Yeah, especially the archeology and linguistics departments," Jack said. "They're all pulling their hair out."

"Janet misses you."

"And the Marines miss Teal'c. They miss their repeated and rather stupid attempts to beat him at hand-to-hand."

Daniel gave a sigh. "You guys know that I want to go back, that we both do, but until I can be certain that I've got my place back on SG-1, I can't return to Earth."

"We know, Daniel," Sam said. "We just wanted to let you know how things are going."

"Speaking of that, where are the two new members of SG-1?"

"There aren't any," Jack told him. "Hammond agreed that, since there was a better chance of getting you back on SG-1 in the not too distant future, I could hold off for a while longer in picking replacements. He's probably also thinking about what happened last time."

"Last time?"

"Before the colonel finally chose Jonas, we went through nine replacements for you back when you ascended, Daniel," Sam informed him.

Jack shrugged. "None of them were up to my standards."

Daniel's eyebrow lifted. "Not big enough pains in the ass?"

"Something like that."

"In truth, one replacement resulted in a pain in O'Neill's knee," Teal'c remarked with a straight face.

Jack grimaced. "Don't remind me."

Daniel hid his smile. It was great to be with all of them again. The thought that it was only temporary quickly dimmed his happiness, though.

"So, tell us all about what you guys have been up to," Jack said, as he took a seat on the ground. Everyone else followed suit.

For the next couple of hours, Daniel and Teal'c filled Sam and Jack in on what they'd been doing since leaving Earth. Much to the linguist's embarrassment, Teal'c went into great detail about their meeting with the rebel Jaffa, though he was kind enough not to include the fact that Daniel had to strip down to his underwear. Jack was extremely impressed by the demonstration that Daniel had given the Jaffa and wished that he'd been there to see it, just as he wished that he'd seen his friend's rescue of SG-3.

"We've explored several ruins with Ancient writing," Daniel said, deliberately changing the subject, "but none of them gave any indication of being the lost city, and we found no reference to it." He handed Sam a couple sheets of paper. "Those are the addresses that we went to and notes on what we found there."

"Still writing mission reports, Daniel?" Jack asked in amusement. "I guess that shouldn't surprise me since you always seemed to like paperwork."

"I just wanted to keep a record of where we'd been and what was there," Daniel explained. "We may no longer be with the SGC, but, in a way, Teal'c and I are still on an SG team."

"Indeed," the Jaffa agreed.

"We're doing all we can to get you back on _our_ SG team, Daniel," Jack said, all levity gone.

A brief period of silence followed the colonel's statement. It was broken when Sam asked Daniel how he was doing.

"I'm doing okay," he replied. "It's just been a bit of an adjustment."

"Colonel Reynolds said that you looked like you were hurt or sick," Jack said, focusing an intense gaze on the archeologist.

"I just overdid it a bit with the pyrotechnics when we helped out SG-3. That's all," Daniel assured him.

It didn't take a genius to know that the linguist was minimizing how he had felt, as he always did.

"You should have a doctor take a look at you," Sam told him in concern.

"I'm fine, Sam," he insisted. "The headache never lasts for more than a few minutes."

Jack immediately picked up on something. "Wait a minute. This has happened more than once?"

Daniel paused. "You already knew that I got a headache when I made those fireballs on P2Q-353."

"And?"

Daniel's next pause was a bit longer. "And . . . I sort of got a headache when I did the demonstration for the Jaffa."

"Sort of? In other words, your head felt like it was going to explode, right?"

"I wouldn't quite put it that way. The incident with SG-3 was . . . worse."

Jack's faced hardened into a severe frown. "Okay, that's it. We're taking you to a doctor."

"Jack, in case you didn't already know this, doctors with relatively advanced medical knowledge are kind of in short supply out here. So, unless Janet can make a house call, I'm kind of out of luck."

"You could go to Hebridan," Sam suggested.

"Hebridan? That's Warrick's planet, right?" Jack asked.

Sam nodded. "Their other technology is more advanced than ours, so I should think that the same would be true for their medical knowledge and technology."

"Right. So, we take Daniel to Hebridan."

"No," Daniel said firmly.

"Daniel."

The archeologist looked at the colonel. "Jack, I can't be running off to a doctor every time I get a headache. Except for when I use my abilities to do something pretty big, I'm just fine. It's probably something like when you overuse a muscle and it's sore afterward. I just have to try and avoid blowing up too many things."

Neither Jack nor Sam were happy about Daniel's refusal to go to a doctor, but there wasn't anything they could do about it.

The linguist asked about how things were going at the SGC.

"Oh, you know how it is," Jack replied. "SG teams go out, get shot at by Jaffa, get saved by a pyrokenetic archeologist, come back just a bit worse for wear. Same old, same old."

Sam squashed her smile. "Pyrokenetic, sir?"

"Hey, I, might not be a big fan, but I do watch science fiction on occasion. Loved that movie about the little kid who kept incinerating things."

"Drew Barrymore never melted a staff weapon after being forced to strip to her shorts," Daniel muttered. He immediately wanted to bite his own tongue out. He cringed, just waiting for it to come. It didn't take long.

"Strip to her shorts?" Jack inquired mildly, intense curiosity on his face. "Is there something you'd like to tell us, Daniel?"

"No, not really. But I suppose I'm going to anyway."

"Yep."

Daniel heaved a big sigh. "The rebel Jaffa wanted to be sure that I wasn't using some kind of Goa'uld device, and the only way that they could be sure was for me to . . . undress . . . in front of them."

A big smile began to blossom across Sam's face, but she quickly halted it. She could just imagine how mortified Daniel had been. Despite the fact that he was a very good-looking man in great physical shape, he tended to be shy about exposing his body.

Unlike Sam, Jack didn't have the tact to hide his smile. "Boxers or briefs that day, Danny Boy?"

Daniel put a rein on his irritation. "Briefs."

"Hope it was a warm day."

"As a matter of fact, it was about eighty degrees in the shade, so that was not a problem."

"That's good. Wouldn't have wanted you to come up short in front of the Jaffa."

The snort of laughter that escaped Sam's mouth made Daniel flush. She shot him a look of apology.

Daniel's irritation escaped his control. "Yes, you would know about that from personal experience, wouldn't you, Jack," he said, giving the older man a fake smile. "I seem to recall an incident with some angry natives and a rather chilly lake, only you weren't wearing either boxers _or_ briefs at the time . . . or anything else, for that matter."

Jack immediately lost his smile. The giggle that Sam inadvertently let out resulted in her being subjected to a scorching glare.

Teal'c opened his mouth to say something, but Jack held up a finger.

"Ah! Don't you say one word. Not a word."

Wisely, the Jaffa closed his mouth.

"Come on, T. Let's go patrol the area or something," Jack said, getting to his feet.

Daniel's mouth twitched into a smile as he watched the two men leave. He turned back to Sam to see a smile on her face that was both happy and sad.

"I've really missed you," she said.

"I've missed you, too, Sam," Daniel responded, his voice gentle but full of emotion.

"Tell me how you've been, Daniel, honestly."

The archeologist shrugged faintly. "All right, I guess, all things considered. I . . . worry about things."

"What things?"

"About you and Jack, how things are going with you. I worry that something will happen to you, and I won't be there to help. I wonder if I'm on a fool's errand, if I can really hope to make a difference out here without the help of the SGC. I worry that I'm going to get Teal'c killed one of these days."

Sam wasn't sure what to say in response to Daniel's confession, so she settled for taking his hand in hers.

"I have faith in you, Daniel," she finally said. "So does the colonel. But we worry about you, too. This whole thing is driving him nuts. And he's furious at the president for his decision."

"The president made what he thought was the right decision, Sam. I can understand his reasoning."

"But he wasn't looking at the whole picture, Daniel. Yes, okay, so there is a danger that you could be captured by the Goa'uld and made into a host, and, yes, you could be killed and all your abilities lost, but the good that you could do on SG-1 far outweighs those dangers. Look at what you did for SG-3. You saved all their lives, Daniel. Four good men would have been dead if you hadn't been there to help them. The next time, it could be SG-1."

Daniel's stomach clenched at that thought. It was his biggest fear, that something would happen to Sam and Jack because he wasn't there to help.

A feeling of unease abruptly skittered down Daniel's spine. His gaze went off into the woods.

"Daniel, what's wrong?"

The archeologist frowned. "I just. . . . I don't know. Probably just my imagination." He got up. "Let's go find Jack and Teal'c."

The two scientists headed in the direction that their companions had gone, an unexplainable feeling of dread and urgency slowly growing within Daniel.

* * *

"Okay, Teal'c, give it to me straight. What's this business with Daniel's headaches?" Jack asked the Jaffa.

"I was quite concerned for Daniel Jackson after he dealt with the Jaffa who were attacking SG-3. He looked ill and in great pain for several moments, and the sunlight appeared to cause discomfort to his eyes."

"You mean like what happens with a migraine?"

Teal'c nodded, having seen commercials on television for that ailment.

"How many times has that happened?"

"Twice. As he said, he was also negatively affected by the demonstration he made for the rebel Jaffa."

"Do you think that we need to knock him out and cart him off to a doctor?"

"Such an action would make Daniel Jackson extremely angry."

"I don't give a damn if it does. He can kill us all later, after he's been taken to a doctor."

"I believe that Daniel Jackson may be correct when he likened this to overusing a muscle. It may be that, in time, his mind and body will grow more accustomed to this power, and he will no longer suffer after using it."

"I hope you're right, Teal'c." Jack paused. "So, he was really impressive when he put on the show for the rebel Jaffa, huh?"

"Indeed he was, O'Neill. If I had not known Daniel Jackson before that moment, I may have thought as some of the other Jaffa did, that he was as a god. I believe that many of the Jaffa who were there that day would quite willingly follow Daniel Jackson into battle. If they had seen what he did to aid SG-3, I am certain they would."

"Daniel leading an army of Jaffa. Wow, that's a concept. He's certainly become the hot topic around the Jaffa watercooler."

"What do you mean by this?"

"The Tok'ra have been hearing talk about some great and powerful ally who has joined the Jaffa. No details, but we guessed that they were talking about Daniel. After you told us about the show he put on for them, I was sure of it."

Teal'c frowned. "This is disturbing news. Daniel Jackson requested that word of him not be spread among the Jaffa for fear that the Goa'uld would learn of him. The Jaffa swore that they would say nothing."

"Well, something must have slipped out." Jack's concern for Daniel went up another notch. "I never thought about the Goa'uld and what they'd do if they found out about him. We need to get Daniel back to the safety of the SGC. He's too vulnerable out here without Earth backing him up."

"He will not willingly return to Earth without a promise that he has his place back on SG-1."

"Yeah, I know, which means that we need to work even harder on making that happen."

At that moment, the subject of their conversation came into view, along with Sam. The two scientists, seeing Jack and Teal'c, headed for them. Daniel could feel something inside his boot that was jabbing him in the foot and stopped to get it out, telling Sam to go on ahead. He had just finished putting his boot back on and was getting to his feet when an overpowering feeling of danger slammed into him. His eyes went to the others. Sam had just reached the colonel and Teal'c.

"Jack!" Daniel cried in warning. An instant later, the blast from a staff weapon went streaking past his three friends. They spun around to see a large force of Jaffa erupt from the trees. They immediately opened fire on the Jaffa and started running toward Daniel.

"Go, Daniel! Get to the gate!" Jack yelled. Then he turned and fired off his P-90, hitting several Jaffa.

Daniel spun around and took off for the gate, running as fast as he could. He hoped that he wasn't making a mistake by going for the DHD instead of attempting a repeat of what he did for SG-3. The difference between now and then was that these Jaffa were much farther away, far enough that he, Sam, Jack and Teal'c had a chance to make it through the gate, a chance SG-3 hadn't had. That difference made up Daniel's mind. Getting the gate activated took top priority. Then he could worry about helping to stop the Jaffa.

At last, Daniel reached the Stargate. He could hear the sound of staff weapons and P-90s being fired but couldn't spare the time to see what was happening. He reached for the first glyph of Earth's address, then stopped. He couldn't dial Earth. He had no G.D.O. to send the code for opening the iris. Daniel glanced over his shoulder and saw his teammates in the distance, trying to run and shoot at the same time. Would there be enough time for Jack or Sam to stop and send the code? But where else could they go? The gate at the Alpha Site had no iris, which meant that they wouldn't be able to stop the Jaffa from coming through after them.

Knowing that there was no other option, Daniel began dialing the address for Earth. If necessary, he could hold the Jaffa off long enough for Sam or Jack to send the code and for all of them to get through the gate. He didn't let himself think about what would happen to him once he was back on Earth. It didn't matter compared to Jack, Sam and Teal'c's safety.

Daniel was pressing the fourth symbol when something made him turn around. Jack and Teal'c were about thirty yards away. Sam was a few yards further back, firing her P-90.

A sudden, sickening feeling of deja vu hit Daniel. He'd seen this before. An instant later, the feeling blossomed into horror as an Al'Kesh attack bomber came into view and swooped downward, aiming straight for Jack, Sam and Teal'c.

"No!" Daniel screamed, knowing without doubt that the nightmare he'd had all those nights ago was coming to life and that, if something wasn't done, Sam was going to die.

In desperation, Daniel's mind focused on the Al'Kesh. With the speed of thought, he reached for the power inside him and hit the ship with everything he had. A deafening roar shook the meadow as the Al'Kesh was ripped apart in a tremendous explosion.

Blinding pain blazed like fire through Daniel's brain. With a single choked cry, he clutched at his head. Then a red-streaked blackness rose up around him, and he fell headlong into it, never hearing the frantic cry of his friends.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Where the hell had these Jaffa come from? That was the thought running through Jack's mind as he, Sam and Teal'c ran like crazy toward the Stargate. He could see that Daniel had just made it to the DHD. The colonel turned and fired off a few more rounds into the Jaffa, who were quickly gaining on them. Sam did likewise, expending the last of the ammo in her clip. As they ran, she ejected the clip and slammed in a new one, then turned and fired again.

Suddenly, things got a whole lot worse when an Al'Kesh appeared and sped toward their position. Doubling their speed, Sam and the others made a mad dash for the gate.

In the distance, they heard Daniel scream a horrified "No!" They looked up to see the Al'Kesh swooping down upon them like a bird of prey.

And then, without warning, the ship blew apart in a mighty explosion, as if a bomb had gone off inside it. The fiery wreckage plummeted to the ground right into the midst of the advancing Jaffa. Not pausing to ponder on the source of their salvation, Jack, Sam and Teal'c spun back around toward the Stargate – just in time to see Daniel collapse bonelessly to the ground and lay still.

"Daniel!" Jack and Sam cried. They covered the rest of the distance with Teal'c and fell to their knees beside their friend. There was no sign of an injury, but his face was chalk-white, and he was unconscious.

"Carter! Finish dialing the gate!" Jack commanded, pulling Daniel's dead weight up into his arms in preparation of carrying him.

Sam scrambled to her feet and finished dialing Earth's address. The instant that the gate activated, she sent the code that would not only open the iris but also inform the SGC that they were under fire. With Teal'c's help, Jack heaved Daniel up over his shoulders and ran with the others through the Stargate.

"Shut the iris!" Jack yelled frantically, ducking as a staff weapon blast shot out of the wormhole and slammed into the wall across the room. The iris closed, protecting them from further blasts.

Jack laid Daniel's unmoving body on the ramp and checked for a pulse, breathing a sigh of relief that there still was one.

His expression mirroring his shock and concern, Hammond came forward.

"Colonel O'Neill, what happened? Is Doctor Jackson injured?"

"We were attacked by Jaffa, sir. I don't know what happened to Daniel. He just collapsed."

A few moments later, a medical team came rushing in, led by Janet. She hurried forward, checking the archeologist. Not bothering to ask what had happened, she had him put on the gurney.

Daniel was quickly taken to the infirmary. On the way, Janet asked what happened to him. All the others could tell her was how he suddenly collapsed. Once they got to the infirmary, the doctor refused to let the others in, ordering them to stay out in the hall.

After a few minutes, Hammond joined them and asked again what had happened. Jack and Sam gave an abbreviated rundown of the day's events.

"And Daniel just dropped, like he'd been shot," Jack finished. "We grabbed him and brought him through."

"What destroyed the Al'Kesh?" the general asked.

"We don't know, sir."

Sam gasped. "Oh my God," she whispered. The others all stared at her to see an expression of horrified realization on her face. "The dream."

"What? What dream?" Jack asked.

Sam looked at him. "A while ago, Daniel had a nightmare about a mission going bad. He told me that we were all being chased by Jaffa. Then an Al'Kesh came, and . . . and I died. My God. It was his dream, Colonel. What happened on that planet was Daniel's dream coming true. He must have realized it and knew what was going to happen. He stopped the ship."

Jack stared at her in disbelief. "Are you saying that Daniel blew up the ship?"

"He knew that if he didn't, I'd be killed." Tears filled her eyes. "He saved my life, but it was too much for him. His mind couldn't handle him using that much power."

Everyone fell silent, overwhelmed by the thought of what Daniel had done.

"I think that Daniel sensed something was wrong before the attack," Sam murmured after a couple of minutes. "He acted like something was bothering him."

Janet came out, halting any further discussion on the subject.

"How is he?" Jack asked.

"He's being taken for a CT scan. I'm almost certain that he suffered some kind of trauma to his brain. None of you have any idea how this happened?"

Sam explained her beliefs to the doctor. Jack and Teal'c told Janet about the severe, migraine-like headaches Daniel had suffered on the two occasions when he used his abilities to a higher degree.

Janet frowned in concern. "I was afraid of this. The human mind is not accustomed to using that kind of power. There's no telling what kind of damage was done to Daniel's brain when he blew up that ship."

"How long will it be before you know if he'll be okay?" Sam asked, getting scared.

"The CT scan should give us some idea of what's going on. I may have to do an MRI as well, depending on the damage. Even then, I might not be able to give you an answer on if he'll be all right." She looked at Jack, Sam and Teal'c. "You need to have your post-mission physicals. Go do that, then take care of your debriefing. As soon as I know something, I'll let you know."

Janet left to accompany Daniel to the CT scanner. The members of SG-1 went into the infirmary as Hammond returned to his office.

In the debriefing, everyone went into more detail on what happened.

"Frankly, I am finding this a little hard to believe," the general said.

"I know what you mean, sir," Jack said. "I knew that Daniel packed quite a punch, but you should have seen it, sir. That ship was totally destroyed."

The general turned to Sam. "Are you positive that the dream Doctor Jackson had was a vision of the events on P8R-978?"

"Yes, sir, I'm almost certain of it. He didn't give me a lot of details, but what Daniel did tell me matches what happened. That Al'Kesh was heading straight for us. If it had started dropping its bombs. . . ." Sam shuddered inwardly at the thought, knowing that, if it hadn't been for Daniel, she'd have been blown to bits. "Daniel knew what was going to happen, sir, and he destroyed the ship to prevent it."

Janet came into the briefing room.

"What have you found out, Doctor?" Hammond asked.

"As I suspected, Daniel did suffer some kind of trauma to his brain," Janet announced. "There is some minor bleeding into the brain tissue, but I'm very hopeful that it will stop soon and will not require surgery."

"What happened to him, Janet?" Sam asked.

"I'm afraid that I don't know for sure. In regards to the bleeding, Daniel didn't receive a head injury, so I can only assume that some of the small arteries in his brain ruptured. There are a lot of things that could cause that, one being high blood pressure. Since Daniel doesn't suffer from hypertension, something may have caused a sudden increase in the cerebral blood flow, resulting in the arteries rupturing from the pressure. The thing that worries me the most is that intracerebral hemorrhaging alone generally isn't going to drop someone in their tracks like you described. A massive stroke can—"

"A stroke?" Jack exclaimed, feeling sick at the thought of Daniel suffering a stroke and what it would mean for him.

"There's no indication that Daniel suffered a stroke, Colonel, even though intracerebral hemorrhaging can cause one. However, something traumatic did happen inside Daniel's brain that resulted in the arteries rupturing. There is no clear sign of brain damage, but I can't rule it out for sure until he awakens, and we can run some tests on him. Until then, it's just a matter of waiting for him to wake up."

"Thank you, Doctor Fraiser," Hammond said. He looked around at the worried faces. "That's enough for now, people. Why don't you go clean up. Then, if the doctor will allow it, visit with Doctor Jackson."

Everyone rose to their feet and filed out of the room. Sam, Jack and Teal'c wanted to go straight to the infirmary, but Janet insisted that they shower and change first. They did so with lightning speed, then headed straight to their friend's bedside. Daniel was still unconscious and was hooked up to several pieces of equipment, including an EEG.

Sam went to the head of the bed, her hand reaching out to stroke Daniel's hair. Though she knew it was silly, she felt guilty. Daniel was lying in that bed because of his effort to save her life. In the military, you were expected to risk your life for a teammate during a battle, sometimes even sacrifice it for them, but knowing that didn't make it any easier when a teammate was seriously injured or killed saving _your_ life. She knew that, technically, Daniel was no longer her teammate, but, in her heart, he still was. He was also her best friend, which made it a hundred times worse.

"You know that you're not responsible for this, right?" Jack asked quietly.

"Yes, I know. But I still feel. . . ."

"Guilty?"

"Yeah."

Jack looked down at the man lying on the bed. "On that first mission, when Daniel took that staff weapon blast that was meant for me, I felt pretty guilty. The difference was that I had good reason to feel that way. I was stupid enough to think that I could take on Ra and all his guards alone. Actually, I don't know what I was thinking. I was not in a good frame of mind back then. Daniel died because of my idiocy, and, as I sat there all that night with what was left of my team, I had plenty of time to think about it." A tiny smile curved his lips. "He really surprised me. I had thought that he was just some long-haired, klutzy dweeb. I've never been so wrong about anyone in my life." Jack met Sam's eyes. "Daniel always puts other people's lives before his own. We've all seen that way more than once. That's just the way he is. I don't know if he knew that blowing up that ship might seriously harm or even kill him, but, regardless of whether or not he did, it wouldn't have made a difference."

"I know."

A slight noise drew their attention to the occupant of the bed. Jack, Sam and Teal'c watched as Daniel stirred, his eyelids fluttering.

"Sam," he mumbled.

Sam took hold of his hand. "I'm right here, Daniel. I'm okay. We're all okay. You saved me."

Daniel's eyes blinked open. A slightly unfocused gaze turned to them, sliding over Jack and Teal'c before coming to rest on Sam.

"The bombs," he whispered.

"Shh. It's okay, Daniel," Sam murmured soothingly. "You stopped the ship before it had a chance to drop any bombs. None of us were hurt except for you. You're back at the SGC, in the infirmary."

It took a moment for the meaning of that to sink in. When it did, Daniel closed his eyes and sighed. "Then I'm trapped here."

"No, Daniel, you're not," Jack told him. "After what just happened, you'd better believe that I'm going to get you back on SG-1. This proves yet again how important it is to have you on an SG team, not stuck here on Earth. And if the president can't see that, then he's not smart enough to lead a marching band, let alone this country."

Daniel's lips twitched upward. "Just don't let him hear you say that. He might take offense."

"Ya think?"

Janet came up to Daniel's bed. "Hello, Daniel. I'd say welcome back, but this isn't the way that I wanted to see you return to us."

"But it isn't much of a surprise, is it," Daniel responded.

Janet smiled down at him. "No, it isn't, I'm afraid." She sobered. "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts, and I'm a little nauseous. I feel kind of . . . fuzzy."

"All those things are understandable, considering what happened."

"What _did_ happen? I guess I must have overdone it a bit."

"Just a bit. Luckily, I don't think you did any permanent damage. You've got some minor bleeding into your brain tissue from some ruptured arteries, but I haven't found any other damage. I do need to do some mental and physical tests, though, to make sure everything is working properly inside that head of yours. Do you feel up to that?"

Daniel nodded slightly.

Trying to dispel the feeling that his brain was stuffed with cotton, Daniel answered Janet's questions and followed her commands as well as he could, but he was so sleepy that it was a major struggle to remain awake and focused. At last, Janet told him to get some rest. Almost immediately, he was out.

"So?" Jack inquired.

"Well, he seems to be okay," the doctor answered. "He's definitely not a hundred percent, but I didn't expect him to be this soon. Some of that is caused by the bleeding in his brain and should clear up shortly. I'll test him again once he's awake and more alert. For right now, he needs sleep." She looked at them. "And all of you need rest, not to mention something to eat." Her expression firmed into that determined doctor look they all knew well. "Consider that doctor's orders."

After arguing to no avail, Jack, Sam and Teal'c reluctantly went to the commissary.

A young lieutenant came up to their table. "How's Doctor Jackson doing, sirs, ma'am?"

"The doc thinks he's going to be all right," Jack replied.

"That's great, sir. Um, some of us were wondering. . . . Colonel, is it true that he blew up an Al'Kesh?"

Jack stared at him in surprise. "How did you hear about that?"

"It's a rumor going around the base, sir. I don't know where it started."

Jack was amazed at how fast news sometimes traveled on base. He wondered if he should deny the rumor or confirm it. Daniel's actions would be in the official report, so it would be pretty pointless to deny it.

"Yes, it's true," he said.

"Really? Wow. That's . . . wow."

"Yeah, that about sums it up."

Realizing that he was acting like an awestruck teenager in front of a superior officer, the young man abruptly straightened his posture.

"Sorry, sir. It's just amazing that he could do that. I mean, you kind of expect aliens to be able to do stuff like that, but Doctor Jackson's not an alien, not anymore, that is. Uh . . . uh, I mean, he was never _really_ an alien, just sort of . . . not . . . human." His voice trailed off helplessly.

Forcing his face to remain straight, Jack said, "Actually, he _was_ an alien. But don't say that to his face. He might not like it."

"No, sir! Of course not, sir! I have great respect for Doctor Jackson. I would never do anything to insult him, sir."

Jack felt his poker face beginning to crack. "You're excused, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir." The young man turned smartly and left.

"God, I don't think I was _ever_ that young," Jack muttered. He chuckled. "It looks like Daniel might have to deal with a bit of hero worship on base. He'll be _so_ thrilled."

Sam smiled, knowing what the colonel meant. Daniel would not be comfortable with people treating him like some kind of superhero.

"Sir, do you really think that the president will let Daniel rejoin SG-1?" she asked.

"Well, he'd be pretty stupid not to, don't you think? Daniel's needed out there with us."

"Indeed he is," Teal'c agreed.

* * *

"Hello again, Daniel."

Daniel turned to see a familiar figure. "Oma. I'm guessing that you're aware of what's going on with me. Did you know this was going to happen?"

"The future is never clear. It is as the dunes of the desert, ever shifting and changing."

"But you _did_ know that I had this ability, didn't you. That wasn't just a dream I had before. You really did come to me. So, could I always do these things or was something changed because of my ascension?"

"The mind is only limited by what it is willing to believe. If it is set free, it can soar like the eagle. Yet the eagle can fly no higher than its mortal body will allow, though its heart may seek to fly higher."

"In other words, all humans have the potential for paranormal abilities, but the extent of those abilities is limited by our physical capacities. That still doesn't answer my question, Oma."

"The smallest spark can create a mighty inferno." Oma gave Daniel one of her gentle smiles. "You were changed by your time with us. The spark was lit within you and was fed when you reached that place in your mind that you found before on Kheb."

"Then it _was_ the biofeedback that started all of this. If I hadn't gone through those sessions, would I have stayed ignorant of this?"

"The sun cannot remain hidden forever. Sooner or later, the clouds will break to reveal its light."

"I'll take that as a no. So, one way or another, this would have happened. Then tell me, Oma. What am I supposed to do about it? Is there some grand scheme in all of this or do I just keep doing what I think I should?"

"You have already chosen the path you will walk upon. You must be true to your nature, Daniel, as you always were. It will guide your steps. Do not let others choose that path for you. Your strength lies in your ability to see and accept what others cannot or will not and in your willingness to stand against the wind and try to turn it even though it tears and batters you. If you hold your course, the answers you seek will be revealed to you."

Oma started to walk away, then she paused and turned back to face Daniel. "When the teacher fails to accept that which the student knows, then it is up to the student to become the teacher. You must be the teacher, Daniel."

The darkness around Daniel and Oma began to brighten into a hazy light that encompassed everything. Oma faded away into the light with a final smile.

Daniel's eyes blinked open. The familiar sight of the SGC infirmary met his gaze.

"Well, it's about time."

Daniel turned to the speaker. Jack gave him a little smile.

"I was beginning to think that you were going to sleep around the clock," he said.

"What time is it? How long have I been out?"

"It's 0400, and you've been asleep for over twelve hours. Doc said it was the best thing for you, but I was still beginning to think that you'd gone into a coma or something. You slept right through the second CT scan they did a little while ago. So, how are you feeling?"

"Better. What are you doing here at four o'clock in the morning?"

"Had nothing better to do."

"You know, most people prefer sleeping at this time of night."

"You were doing enough of that for both of us. I did make Carter and Teal'c go to bed, though, and I think that the doc's sacked out on the couch in her office. I guess I should wake her."

"No, don't. Let her sleep." Daniel studied Jack's face, wondering if he should mention his conversation with Oma. Oh, why not? "I got a final answer to one of my questions."

"Which one?"

"These things I can do _are_ a result of my ascension."

"How did you find out for sure?"

"Oma told me."

Jack paused a moment. "You mean that just now you were. . . ."

"Uh huh."

"Does Oma often play a role in your dreams, Daniel? Not that I have anything against that, mind you. I've had my share of dreams about fascinating women. But I think this one might be just a bit old for you."

Daniel cocked an eyebrow. "Don't believe in dating older women, Jack?"

"No, not really, especially at my age. I prefer my dates to still have all of their own teeth."

"Well, don't worry. I have no immediate plans to date a several-million-year-old woman, or however old she is."

"Glad to hear it. So, what else did she tell you?"

"That I need to do what I think is the right thing and not let others control me, and that it's time for me to be a teacher rather than a student."

"Really? So, who ya gonna teach?"

"I haven't figured that part out yet."

"Ah. Well, I can think of a few blockheads who need to learn a lesson or two, namely, the people responsible for you being taken off SG-1."

"Yeah, about that. Any word yet from the president?"

"He's supposed to call Hammond this morning."

"If he still says no. . . ."

"Then, one way or another, we'll get off Earth."

Daniel stared at Jack. "We?"

"We," Jack confirmed.

Daniel searched the older man's eyes questioningly. What he saw there surprised and humbled him. Jack was willing to give up his career to keep his team together.

Sam came into view and walked up to the bed. "That includes all of us, Daniel," she said.

"But you'd both be giving up everything."

"Not everything, Daniel, not what's most important," Jack stated with conviction.

Sam nodded. "We'd still be fighting the Goa'uld and protecting Earth from them. And we'd be doing it together."

Daniel's head ducked, overwhelmed by Jack and Sam's gesture of friendship. It gave him the strongest sense of belonging that he could ever remember feeling since the death of his parents.

"Well, Daniel, since you're apparently not going to slip into a coma any time soon, I'm going to get a couple of hours of shuteye," Jack said. "Carter, you going to keep Drew Barrymore here company for a while?"

Sam smiled. "That's the plan, sir."

"All right, see you later." Jack headed out the door with a jaunty wave, leaving Daniel and Sam in the otherwise deserted infirmary.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"You don't have to keep me company, you know," Daniel told Sam.

"I know, but I want to." Sam settled into the chair Jack had been using. She silently gazed at Daniel's face for several seconds. "Thank you," she finally said.

"For what?"

"For saving my life. It was the dream, wasn't it. What was happening on the planet was what you saw in your dream."

Daniel's gaze dropped to his lap. "Yeah. I didn't realize it until just before the Al'Kesh showed up. For a second, I thought I was stuck back in the nightmare."

"Was I killed by one of the bombs in the dream?"

The archeologist nodded, remembering the horrific image of Sam's body being torn apart and tossed through the air like a rag doll by the blast.

Daniel returned his gaze to Sam. "So, what exactly happened to the Al'Kesh? I remember attacking it, but that's all."

"It was completely destroyed. What was left crashed right into the middle of the Jaffa that were chasing us. There weren't many left after that." Sam looked at him searchingly. "Daniel, did you know that blowing up that ship could seriously harm you, maybe even kill you?"

"I knew that it might be too much for me, but I didn't know what would happen, if there would be brain damage." Daniel looked straight into her eyes. "There was no other option, Sam. I did what I had to, and I'd do it again if it was necessary." He smiled. "Just don't get attacked by any motherships, okay?"

Sam answered the smile with one of her own. "I'll try, but I can't make any promises." The smile was replaced with a somewhat thoughtful expression. "So . . . I guess this means that you can see the future."

"Yes, I guess it does. I don't know why I'm not more surprised. Just one more thing to add to the list in my increasingly insane life."

Sam gave his hand a sympathetic squeeze. "Interestingly, this is the second time that someone has had a precognitive vision about something bad happening to me," she told him. "Do you know about what happened to Jonas, the mass that developed in his brain because of what Nirrti did to him?"

"Uh huh."

"Then you must know that it gave him the ability to see the future. One of the visions he had was of me being seriously hurt. He tried to prevent it from happening by keeping me from going on a mission because he thought that's when and where it was going to happen, but it turned out that the injury happened right here on base while I was overhauling the gate generator, which I had decided to go ahead and do because I didn't go on the mission."

"So, you're saying that by trying to prevent what he saw in the vision, Jonas caused it to happen?"

"That's what Jonas thought. He blamed himself for what happened, thinking that, if he hadn't interfered, I'd have gone on that mission and not gotten hurt. But I'm not so sure. I was intending to do that overhaul sooner or later anyway. It is possible that the accident would have happened regardless. Jonas may have just made it happen a little sooner. I told him that the future was not preordained, that it can and does change. Jonas proved that later when he prevented an attack on the SGC because of another vision. You proved it yet again yesterday."

Daniel's eyes slid away from hers. "But, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been in that position in the first place."

"How do you figure that?"

"If I hadn't left the SGC, we would not have been on that planet."

"Yes, you're right about that, but you can't second guess every decision you make, Daniel. Sometimes, you have to just do what you think is right and be prepared for whatever consequences might occur because of it. Have you ever heard of the Butterfly Principle?"

"Um, yeah. Isn't that the principle that everything we do, regardless of how small, can have an impact on the future?"

Sam nodded. "Even the smallest of actions, like leaving ten minutes later for work than usual, affects things to a certain extent, and that effect is amplified over time, possibly resulting in major consequences years from now."

"You have to wonder what consequences will result from what I did yesterday."

"Well, I already know one consequence." Sam gave him a smile. "I'm sitting here alive, talking to you."

Daniel returned the smile, very happy about that particular consequence. His smile disappeared after a moment.

"I suppose that everyone in the SGC knows about all of this now," he said.

"I'm afraid so."

"How are they reacting to it?"

"The reactions are mixed. Some people are understandably a little uneasy. Others think it's pretty cool. But, regardless of how they feel about it, everyone here knows that you would never do anything to harm the people on this base."

"I guess I owe Captain Hopkins an apology."

Sam grinned. "Oh, you mean for that whopping bruise on his jaw?"

Daniel winced, shamefaced.

"Actually, after he found out what you _could_ have done to him, he was glad that all you did was hit him. In fact, he told Colonel O'Neill to tell you no hard feelings."

"I should still apologize, though. I hated having to do things the way Teal'c and I did, but there was no other choice."

"I know, Daniel. We all do. The truth is that everyone here thinks that you showed a lot of courage doing what you did, and they understand why you did it." Sam smiled again. "I seem to recall a time a few years ago when all four of us did something similar."

"Yeah, this is my second time going AWOL, isn't it. No, wait a minute. It's actually _three_ times, if you count the fact that I stayed on Abydos without permission from the bigwigs. Good thing I'm not in the military."

"Don't forget to count when we were wearing those armbands and decided to go on that unauthorized mission."

"Oops, you're right. Four times, then."

Sam smiled broadly. "And then there's the time that you beamed up to the Gadmeer ship, definitely _not_ with the colonel's permission . . . either time."

Daniel looked at her in amusement. "Are you trying to build a case against me, Sam?"

They both laughed.

"Well, it looks like someone is feeling a bit more alert," said Janet as she walked up to the bed.

"I'm sorry. Did we wake you?" Daniel asked.

"No, not at all. If there were other patients here I would tell you to keep it down, but since you have the place to yourself right now, no harm done. How are you feeling, Daniel? I have to say that I'm pleased you got so much sleep."

"A lot better. The headache's almost gone."

Janet nodded. "The last CT I took showed that the bleeding has completely stopped, and you definitely appear to be a lot more alert now. I'd say that you're going to be just fine. I will want to keep you in the infirmary for another full day just to be sure, though."

"Of course you will."

"You were very lucky, Daniel. This could have been a whole lot worse."

"I know, Janet."

The doctor repeated some of the tests she'd run earlier and was very satisfied with the results, which came out normal. After that, she left Daniel and Sam alone.

"Would you like me to leave and let you get some more sleep?" Sam asked.

"I think I'm all slept out for the moment." He paused, thinking of something. "Um, there is something we should probably talk about. We never got the chance to really discuss it."

"What's that?"

"What happened in your lab the day I had the nightmare, when I . . . you know."

Sam realized what he was talking about. "Daniel, it's okay. Really. Like I said before, it's no big deal. Friends kiss each other all the time."

"_We_ don't," Daniel responded quietly.

That made Sam pause. He was right. There was only one time that Sam could ever remember kissing Daniel, and that was the kiss she gave him on the temple when he was trapped in Ma'chello's dying body. She couldn't ever recall another time that Daniel had kissed her.

"I guess you're right about that."

"Don't ask me why I did it, because I have no clue. It was sort of a sudden impulse, a moment of insanity."

Sam smiled. "Ah, so you'd have to be insane to want to kiss me, huh?"

Daniel grinned. "Hardly, Sam. I'm sure that just about any guy would jump at the chance to kiss you, whether he was in his right mind or not."

Sam's smile got bigger. "Well, thank you, Daniel. It's nice to know that I haven't completely lost my ability to attract the opposite sex, even though there haven't been all that many guys showing interest in the last few years."

Daniel's brows lifted in surprise. "You've got to be kidding."

"Um, no, I'm not. In fact, it just occurred to me that the kiss you gave me is the first one I've had in six years. Wow. That's depressing."

"Six. . . ." Daniel's eyes widened. "You mean the one Narim gave you?"

"Yep."

"Man, and here I thought _my_ love life was pathetic."

"Gee, thanks, Daniel." She smiled to let him know that she really wasn't upset. "Actually, I think that both of us could be charter members in the lonely hearts club."

Daniel let out a sigh. "Yeah, you're right about that."

Sam's expression became both sympathetic and curious. "Do you regret that, not having a relationship with someone?"

"Sometimes, like when I go home and there's no one there to greet me. Other times, I realize that I'm probably better off not getting involved in a relationship. I mean, let's face it. My track record with women over the past few years hasn't been the best in the world. It seems like I keep attracting women with serious issues."

Sam laughed. "That's one way of putting it."

Daniel's expression changed to sadness. "I had a wonderful year with a beautiful woman who loved me. That's more than many men get."

Sam felt tears sting her eyes. "You'll find someone again, Daniel."

Daniel looked into Sam's eyes and saw the love of a friend there. What would it be like to see more than that in those blue depths?

Whoa. Okay, where did _that_ thought come from?

Suddenly feeling more than a little nervous, Daniel turned his face away. Sam, mistaking his reaction as one of sorrow, took his hand.

Deciding that he really needed to lighten things up, Daniel asked, "So, what about you? Are you longing for some handsome guy to come sweep you off your feet?"

A fleeting imagine of Jack riding in on a white charger and carrying her off to a castle in the clouds nearly made Sam laugh. Instead, she said, "I think I left the whole sweeping off my feet idea behind shortly after I left my teens."

"Ah, so no knights in shining armor for you, huh."

"No thank you. I see enough armor on the Jaffa we fight. Actually, I'm perfectly satisfied with the way things are. I've got pretty much the most exciting and fascinating job on the planet, and I've got some great friends. Who needs more than that?"

Daniel stared at her for a long, uncomfortable moment, his expression telling her that he didn't really believe her. Okay, definitely time to change the subject to something safer.

Sam asked Daniel for some more details on the planets he and Teal'c explored. Recognizing that she wanted to get off the subject of her lack of a love life, Daniel started telling her a bit more about what he and Teal'c saw during their two weeks out in the universe alone. About an hour later, Sam left so that he could get some more rest. He didn't go to sleep, however. Instead, he lay staring up at the ceiling, thinking about what had happened over the last few weeks.

It was a little after seven a.m. when Daniel got an unexpected visit from Colonel Reynolds, the commander of SG-3.

"How are you feeling, Doctor Jackson?" he asked.

"Pretty good. I'll be better once Janet lets me out of here."

Reynolds smiled. "I hear you. I feel the same way whenever I'm in the infirmary." The smile disappeared. "I wanted to thank you for what you did on P7D-187, Doctor Jackson. You saved me and my team. We'd have all been goners if you hadn't shown up and did what you did."

"I was just in the right place at the right time, Colonel. We all got lucky."

The man shook his head. "It was a hell of a lot more than luck, Doctor Jackson. These things you can do, they could save a whole lot of lives. All of us understand why you and Teal'c left the SGC. It was the right call under the circumstances. I just wanted you to know that and to know that we have a lot of respect for you and your abilities. We hope that you'll get your place back on SG-1."

Touched by the man's sincere words, Daniel thanked him.

Jack and Teal'c showed up not long after Reynolds left. They'd been there for about forty minutes when Sam joined them. Not long after that, General Hammond came to the infirmary.

"I'm glad to see that you're all here," he said. "It'll make things easier." He looked at them one by one, his face unreadable. "I just got off the phone with the president. He has been completely updated on everything, including Doctor Fraiser's medical report on Doctor Jackson."

"So, what's the verdict?" Jack asked, a little nervous.

A smile abruptly beamed over the general's face. "Doctor Jackson is back on SG-1."

"Yes!" Jack crowed at the same time as Sam gave a shout of delight. She bent over and gave Daniel a hug. The archeologist was grinning broadly.

"Thank you, General," Daniel said. "I really appreciate everything you did to get me back on the team."

"You are very welcome, Son. I'm as pleased about the result as you are. It is going to be good to have you back."

"What about the fact that I resigned?"

"Well, as it so happens, I never put it through. I kept hoping that we'd get you back."

Jack grinned. "So, Daniel can get back out on missions as soon as the doc releases him, right?"

"Not so fast, Colonel," said a new voice. Janet came up to the group. "There is something that I need Daniel and all of the rest of you to understand."

"Daniel is going to be all right, isn't he?" Sam questioned, suddenly concerned.

"Yes, he's going to be fine . . . _this_ time." The doctor turned her full attention to her patient. "Like I said, Daniel, you were very lucky this time, but you need to understand that, if something like this happens again, you could suffer irreversible brain damage. You would be at high risk for a stroke. In fact, if you tried to do too much, it could kill you. You need to be very careful how you use these abilities of yours."

"You hear that, Daniel? No more blowing up Al'Keshes," Jack ordered firmly.

"I'll try to curb myself, Jack," Daniel responded.

"As your doctor, I'd highly recommend that you only use your abilities when absolutely necessary," Janet told him. "We have no way of knowing if using them has a cumulative effect on your brain."

"I agree," Sam said. "This is a complete unknown to us. The science alone is a big question mark. I think it would be best if all of us pretend like Daniel can't do these things and continue like we did before this happened."

Hammond nodded. "I concur. I will make sure everyone involved understands that we are not going to take advantage of Doctor Jackson's abilities unless there is a damn good reason to do so." He held out his hand to Daniel. "That having been said, welcome back, Son."

Daniel took the man's hand with a smile and shook it. "Thank you, sir. It's good to be back."

* * *

It had been several days since Daniel's reinstatement to SG-1, and things were mostly back to normal. There had been a few people on base who displayed a bit of uneasiness around him in the beginning, but the fact that he appeared outwardly unchanged soon eased their concerns. Daniel still occasionally received an odd look, but he was sure that would pass in time.

Neither Colonel Morrison nor Major Rice had been happy about the president's decision to put Daniel back on SG-1, but their complaints fell on deaf ears. The president had finally realized that Earth needed Daniel right where he was.

Rice had already requested that Daniel be "loaned out" to the NID for a special project, but his request was flatly refused by everyone. Daniel didn't doubt, however, that the man would try again someday.

SG-1 had gone on one mission since Daniel's release from the infirmary. Thankfully, nothing happened that required the archeologist's "special skills," as Jack was now fond of calling them.

On the surface, everything appeared to be as it was before all of this happened. There were even times when Daniel could almost forget that he possessed these abilities of his – almost but not quite. The reason for that was because he had become aware of yet another ability. Actually, he'd started becoming aware of it a while ago but hadn't wanted to give it much thought. It appeared that he now possessed a 'sixth sense', the capacity to perceive things beyond the five physical senses. The most obvious display of this ability was when he sensed the approaching danger on P8R-978, but he was noticing more subtle things now. For instance, he could sometimes sense someone's presence before he saw them. This was especially true in regards to people he knew well, like his teammates.

Daniel had told no one about this. The fact that he could light fires and move objects with his mind and had the ability to see into the future was more than enough for everyone to handle.

Daniel completed the translation he was working on and rose to his feet, intending to visit Sam. He was heading for the door when his sixth sense kicked in. A couple of seconds later, Eliza White came in.

"Hello, Daniel," she greeted with a smile. "Am I disturbing you?"

"No, not at all. How are things going?"

"Good. I still miss those sessions with my star pupil, though."

Daniel smiled at the comment. There had been no need for him to resume the biofeedback sessions after he returned to Earth since there was nothing more that Eliza could teach him.

The therapist lost her smile. "I'm actually here to say goodbye. I've completed therapy on all of the personnel I was working with."

"I'll be sorry to see you go. We're going to miss you around here."

"And I'm going to miss some of the people I've gotten to know here, especially you."

Embarrassed, the archeologist ducked his head. The therapist stepped forward and held out her hand, which Daniel took.

"It has been a great honor and pleasure to know you and to get to work with you, Daniel," she said. "Take good care of yourself, all right?"

"I will, Eliza. And thank you for everything."

The woman turned and headed for the door. Just as she was about to walk out she paused and looked over her shoulder. "I do have one word of advice, Daniel."

"What's that?"

"Sometimes, we fail to see things that are right in front of our eyes because we're afraid to acknowledge that they exist. Don't miss out on something that could be wonderful because you fear the consequences."

With no further explanation, Eliza left.

Daniel frowned deeply at the woman's words, wondering what she meant by them.

Putting that thought aside for the moment, he headed to Sam's lab. The astrophysicist was hard at work on some new alien device.

"Hey. So, I hear that you got final approval to accompany the Prometheus home," Daniel said.

Sam smiled brightly. "Yes, I did. I was pretty sure that the general was going to let me go, but Colonel O'Neill was complaining about the fact that SG-1 would either have to be on stand-down the whole time I was gone or would have to go on missions short one person. After all the time that we've been on stand-down lately, he's not happy about it happening again. But the general agreed that I really should go. As you know, the replacement hyperspace engine we put in the Prometheus was taken from an Al'Kesh, which is a much smaller ship. Because of that, we can't run it for very long at a time. We're going to have to leave hyperspace occasionally to cool it down."

"And you want to be there to babysit it," Daniel surmised.

"Basically. If there are any problems, I'm the one most qualified to fix them."

Daniel sat down. "And is that the only reason?"

"What other reason would there be?"

"I'm not sure. I just couldn't help but notice that you seemed to be awfully eager to take that trip." Daniel's expression made it clear that he knew there was something more.

Sam heaved a sigh. "Oh, all right, so there are some interesting stellar objects that we'll be passing close to that I want to get a better look at." Daniel kept staring at her. "Okay, one thing in particular. There's a gas cloud that has some fascinating properties. There are some things about it that indicate it's not just a nebula. Or, if it is, it's unlike any other nebula we've ever discovered."

Daniel started to smile. "Ah, so the truth comes out. I knew that there had to be something more to this than you wanting to play babysitter to a hyperdrive engine."

Sam laughed. "Just don't tell General Hammond or the colonel, okay?"

"My lips are sealed. So, when will you be leaving?"

"Day after tomorrow at 0700."

"Well, I hope that everything goes all right on the trip. We'll miss you."

"Thanks, Daniel. You're more than welcome to come along, you know, that is if it's okay with the general and Colonel O'Neill."

"Though I'd love to see this gas cloud of yours, I'd feel like a fifth wheel, Sam. I'd be of absolutely no use to you. Besides, I've still got a ton of work to catch up on. I can't believe how far behind the archeology and linguistics departments got during those two weeks that I was gone."

Sam got a big smile. "You just have to live with the fact that you're indispensable around here, Daniel."

"While being indispensable might be great for job security, it's not always so great if you'd like to find the time to sleep on occasion."

"Well, just don't overwork yourself too much. I don't want to come back and find you in the infirmary after having collapsed from exhaustion."

"Oh, believe me. I am going to be doing all I can to stay out of that place as much as possible. I've been in there way too many times since I descended." Daniel glanced at his watch. "Speaking of work, I'd better get back to it. Um, since we're going to be without you for a few days, how about if we go out tonight, sort of a bon voyage dinner?"

"That sounds like a great idea. Will we be inviting the colonel and Teal'c?"

"How about just the two of us tonight? It's been quite a while since we've done that."

"Yes, it has, hasn't it. Okay, just you and me. Where and when?"

They decided where they wanted to eat and what time to go, then Daniel returned to his office, looking forward to that evening.

* * *

"So, how are things going with your dad?" Daniel asked after swallowing a bite of his dinner. He and Sam were seated at a table that was quite a distance from the other diners, so they could safely talk about work without fear of being overheard.

"All right, I guess," Sam replied. "I haven't talked to him in a while. He's hip-deep in working on adapting the technology of the Telchak device into a weapon against the supersoldiers. I guess things are going along well. I'm hoping that General Hammond will let me go to the Alpha Site and work on the final stages."

"I'm sure he will, though Jack won't be happy."

"Of course."

Daniel speared another mouthful of food. "You know, speaking of the Tok'ra, I'm surprised that they haven't come calling yet about me."

"So am I. They know all about you. We had to tell them the whole story when we asked them to keep an eye out for you and Teal'c. As you can imagine, it piqued their interest."

"Yeah, I bet. Like I said, I'm surprised they haven't showed up yet."

"What will you say if they do?"

"That all depends on what they want."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they want to use you for a mission."

"It wouldn't surprise me either, even though the last time was a disaster."

"Yes, but that wasn't your fault, not really. It's true that you didn't carry out your mission, but it was a good thing that you didn't. Anubis would have gained power and become a major threat a whole lot sooner if the other System Lords had been wiped out. He might have gone after the Eye of Ra sooner, and we probably wouldn't have succeeded in destroying his super weapon since we couldn't have gotten help from Ba'al or any other System Lord. In the end, that part of it turned out for the best."

Daniel shook his head. "I should never have agreed to do it in the first place."

"Probably not, though you did gain some valuable intel. To be honest, I was surprised that you did agree to do it. It wasn't something that I thought you'd be willing to do."

"It wasn't something I wanted to do, but I thought it was the best chance we'd have to get rid of the System Lords."

"So, if the Tok'ra asked you to go on another mission, would you accept?"

"It would all depend on what was at stake. Janet's pretty adamant that I never use my 'special skills' again, but there are going to be times when I have to take the chance. And if it's something important enough, something that can save lives or really hurt the Goa'uld, I would have to put my own welfare second."

"I do understand what you mean, and I agree that the welfare of one person, no matter who they are, cannot outweigh the welfare of hundreds or perhaps thousands of others. But, at the same time, we don't want to lose you, Daniel. So, please don't be quick to give up your life for what you think is a worthy cause. You've given up your life way too many times already."

Daniel gave Sam a little smile. "Okay, I promise that, in the future, I'll be more choosey about what I get myself killed for."

Sam smiled at the comment. "I'm going to hold you to that."

They finished their dinner and paid the bill. Daniel then walked Sam to her car.

"Good night, Sam. I'll see you tomorrow," he said.

"Good night."

As Daniel started to turn away, Sam was seized by a sudden impulse. She took hold of his arm and placed a kiss on his cheek. Shocked, Daniel gaped at her.

"What was that for?"

Now a little embarrassed by her action, Sam covered it up with a smile. "Just because you're my friend, Daniel," she said.

"Oh. Um, okay." A slow smile curved Daniel's lips. "I have to say that I like this new fringe benefit of being your friend, Sam."

The major laughed and got in her car. She started it up and pulled out of the parking spot with a wave in his direction.

As Daniel watched Sam leave, his hand went to his cheek, his smile now gone. Not wanting to think about how that simple kiss on the cheek had made him feel, he went to his own car, got in, and headed for home. As he drove, he thought back on all the things that had happened during the past weeks.

Oma once told him that being good or evil was the only thing that was truly within our control. Though he had apparently gained the power of precognition, Daniel had no idea what the future would bring. Whatever it might hold for him, he could only hope that he'd be able to live up to the faith that his teammates had in him and maintain the code of ethics that he'd always strived to live by.

* * *

EPILOGUE

Sam stood before the Stargate as it dialed up, trying not to let anyone see how excited she was.

"You sure you packed your toothbrush?" Jack asked.

The major smiled. "Yes, sir."

"Blow dryer, hairbrush . . . plenty of underwear?"

Sam's smile grew into a grin. "I think I've got it covered, Colonel."

"Just making sure. There's nothing worse than going on a trip only to realize that you forgot to pack something important. There aren't any handy convenience stores out there, you know."

"I think Sam will be too busy with other things to worry about running out of clean underwear, Jack," Daniel remarked.

At that moment, the Stargate burst into life, then settled down to its usual tranquility.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind?" Jack asked, his tone slightly petulant. "It's not too late, you know."

"I'm sure, sir."

"Take care, Sam. Don't take too many side trips," Daniel said, winking at her.

Sam returned the wink with a grin. "No promises." She gave him a brief hug. When she pulled back, there was an uncertain frown on his face. "Something wrong?"

"Um, just . . . be careful, okay?" he replied worriedly.

"Daniel, did you see something?" Jack asked, instantly concerned.

"No. It's just a feeling. It's probably nothing."

Frowning, Jack looked at his second in command. "Carter, maybe you really should postpone this trip."

"I can't, sir. The Prometheus will be ready to launch this afternoon. If I don't go now, they'll have to go without me, and I should be there."

Jack was on the verge of telling Sam to stay anyway but decided against it. He couldn't start jumping at shadows every time Daniel had a bad feeling. It was probably just the archeologist's overactive imagination.

"All right, but you heard Daniel. Be careful."

"I will, sir."

The two men watched as Sam walked up the ramp and disappeared through the event horizon.

"So, you going to join me and Teal'c for guy's night out tonight?" Jack asked Daniel.

"Um, yeah, I guess so," the younger man replied distractedly. "I can't be out too late, though. I've still got a lot of work to do."

"Daniel, didn't anyone ever tell you that all work and no play makes for a very dull archeologist?"

Daniel turned to him. "Jack, you consider anything to do with archeology to be dull. How would anything be different?"

"You have a point. But at least you'd be dull less often if you were an archeologist less often."

"I hate to tell you this, Jack, but even when I'm at your house eating pizza and beer and watching a hockey game, I'm still an archeologist."

"No. Really? Wow, what a shock." Jack shook his head in amusement. "I'll see you later, Mummy Man."

Daniel opened his mouth to say something as Jack walked away, but changed his mind. Why bother? Jack would always be Jack.

Daniel's eyes were drawn back to the now inactive Stargate. Another nebulous feeling of foreboding brushed his awareness like a ghostly finger. Frowning again, he turned and left the gate room, hoping that what he was feeling really was nothing more than his imagination.

To be continued.

* * *

Thanks for all of the reviews. This may be the end of this fic, but it is far from the end of the story. Each of the parts of this series leads directly into the next. You could actually call it a serial. So get ready for the long haul, boys and girls. This story is just beginning. :-)


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